As the controversy over the free school lunch program has not subsided, Mayor of Seoul Oh Se-hoon proposed a local referendum to the Seoul Metropolitan Council to directly ask the citizens' opinions regarding the free school lunch program.

[1] But the Metropolitan Council rejected his proposal, finally under the leadership of Mayor Oh, it decided to hold a local referendum on the scope of free school lunch, and the vote was scheduled to take place on 24 August 2011.

On 21 August, Mayor Oh announced three days before the referendum that he would step down if he lost because of unachievable voter turnout not achieved or low approval ratings after counting.

In the referendum held on 24 August, it was not able to count the votes because it was less than the minimum turnout rate of 33.3%.

[4][5] On 3 October 2011, pan-opposition primary were held to claimed unification of opposition candidates.