Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon criticizes government over ROK-US alliance concerns

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has issued a sharp critique of the current administration's foreign and security policies, claiming the ROK-US alliance is on “thin ice.” In a social media post, Oh cited recent comments by the US Ambassador to South Korea describing the bilateral relationship as experiencing “turbulence” as evidence of growing uncertainty.

Oh specifically pointed to remarks made by the Minister of National Defense and the Minister of Unification, suggesting their statements have undermined trust with Washington and led to limitations on US intelligence sharing. He argued that the strength to deter North Korean provocations relies on the certainty that the US and South Korea stand together.

Beyond security, Oh addressed economic and trade concerns, noting that delays in passing special legislation to support promised US investments could hinder progress on key issues like nuclear-powered submarines and the revision of the ROK-US nuclear agreement. He also warned that the administration must proactively manage trade pressures, such as potential tariff increases and Section 301 investigations, rather than waiting for US political cycles to resolve the issues.