Seoul mayoral candidates Jeong Dong-oh (left) of the Democratic Party and Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party. [Photo=Yonhap News] 

The first TV debate between Seoul mayoral candidates will be held at 11 PM, seven hours before early voting for the June 3 local elections begins. 

Many citizens are expressing doubts on social media and other platforms about holding the first and only debate so late at night, just before early voting. 

One citizen expressed anger at the National Election Commission's decision, saying, “I go to bed at 10 PM, so scheduling the first debate at 11 PM, a late hour, is like telling us not to watch it at all.” 

The delay in the Seoul mayoral candidates' debate was due to Democratic Party candidate Jeong Dong-oh, running for Seoul mayor, refusing the demand for a one-on-one debate from People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon. 

Oh Se-hoon criticized this as "avoiding scrutiny" and "parking the bus," stating, "Candidate Jeong Dong-oh is refusing the debate with the intention of avoiding unfavorable questions." 

"Parking the bus" is an expression borrowed from soccer, where a team that is winning lies down on the field to run down the clock. In elections, it refers to the behavior of a party that believes it is in an advantageous position and avoids public scrutiny platforms like debates, which could be controversial. 

By Reporter Lim Yo-hee