Former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has flown to London and plans to stay there for at least half a year in an apparent effort to distance himself from the election year leading to the presidential election in December, an aide to Oh said Monday.
"Oh departed for London Sunday and will stay there at least six months," the aide said. "I understand he intends to shy away from politics during the sensitive time leading up to the presidential election."
The former Seoul mayor will stay in London as a fellow at the Graduate School of Social Science and Public Policy at King's College, focusing on major cities around the world seeking ways to create jobs and help promote economic growth, the aide said.
Oh, who is said to be among presidential hopefuls in 2016, resigned last year, although he had two and a half years remaining in his second four-year term.
At that time, the conservative mayor lost the city's first-ever referendum to fight a free school lunch program launched by the city council controlled by the liberal opposition. (Yonhap)