Han Dong-hoon heads to Busan Buk-gu-gap, Cho Kuk to Pyeongtaek-eul: by-election matchups take shape

[The Financial News] With the June 3 parliamentary by-elections drawing near, the constituencies where political “big names” such as former People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon and Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk will run were decided on the 14th. Han has thrown his hat into the ring for the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency by-election, while Cho officially declared his candidacy in the Pyeongtaek-eul, Gyeonggi constituency. As these political heavyweights effectively confirm their bids, the by-elections—already dubbed a “mini general election”—are heating up even further.
According to political sources, Han visited the Mandeok 2-dong Administrative Welfare Center in Buk-gu, Busan, that day and personally filed his move-in report. Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmaker Jeon Jae-su is running for Mayor of Busan, and if he resigns from his parliamentary seat on the 30th of this month, a by-election will be held on June 3.
In the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency, a three-way race is expected between the DPK candidate, the PPP candidate, and Han. Within the DPK leadership, party leader Jung Chung-rae is personally trying to persuade Ha Jung-woo, Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning, to run. Ha drew a line under the speculation during an appearance on SBS Radio’s “Kim Tae-hyun’s Political Show” that day, saying, "The president told me to work hard, so I should focus on my job." However, he also left the door slightly open, adding, "A presidential aide does not have decision-making authority" and "We will decide based on what best serves the national interest and aligns with the country’s interests."
Some senior PPP lawmakers in the Busan region are urging the party leadership to adopt a no-nomination strategy and field no candidate of its own. Their argument is that if a three-way race unfolds, the chances of a DPK victory will rise sharply, so the PPP should instead pursue a strategic alliance with Han. Kim Do-eup, a four-term lawmaker and former Policy Committee Chairperson, told reporters at the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea that day, "If the PPP fields a candidate, the DPK will win the election easily," adding, "One option is for the party not to nominate a candidate and let Han Dong-hoon run." Suh Byung-soo, a five-term lawmaker from Busan and current People Power Party Busan Buk-gap District Party Committee Chair, has also reportedly called on the leadership not to field a candidate.
However, the party leadership has expressed displeasure at these calls for fielding no candidate. Choi Su-jin, chief spokesperson for the party’s parliamentary group, stated, "If the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency becomes vacant, the PPP will field a candidate," and added, "It makes no sense not to nominate anyone." Former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik is seen as the leading contender for the PPP nomination. Park dismissed the possibility of unifying his candidacy with Han. On his social networking service (SNS) account, he wrote, "If I had intended to win through backroom deals in central politics or tricks in Yeouido, I would never have started this in the first place," stressing, "No matter what anyone says, Park Min-shik will not stop."
Cho officially confirmed that he will run in the Pyeongtaek-eul, Gyeonggi constituency by-election. Rumors had circulated that he might run in several districts, including Hanam-gap in Gyeonggi Province, the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency, and the Gunsan–Gimje–Buan constituency in the Jeolla region, but he ultimately chose Pyeongtaek-eul. The district is considered a swing constituency that has alternated between electing lawmakers from parties aligned with the DPK and those aligned with the PPP, and it forms part of the "semiconductor belt" as home to the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus.
At a press conference at the National Assembly that day, Cho declared, "To achieve zero People Power Party and zero corruption, I will once again take a step forward as if standing on the edge of a cliff and run in the Pyeongtaek-eul parliamentary by-election." He went on, "I will become the 13th lawmaker of the Rebuilding Korea Party and, with a more burning passion than any lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, take responsibility for and carry out the historic mission of ‘bringing the era of insurrection to a complete end and seeing genuine reform through to the finish.’"
The seat became vacant after former DPK lawmaker Lee Byung-jin received a finalized fine of 7 million won from the Supreme Court for failing to report assets under the Public Official Election Act and violating the Real Estate Real Name Act, a penalty that nullified his election. Because the by-election was triggered by the DPK’s own fault, Cho is calling on the party not to field a candidate.
From the PPP side, former lawmaker Yu Eui-dong, who was elected three consecutive times in Pyeongtaek-eul, is expected to enter the race. Yu previously served as Policy Committee Chairperson and head of the Yeouido Institute, and he recently applied for nomination to the Candidate Nomination Management Committee.
In addition, Progressive Party standing representative Kim Jae-yeon and Freedom & Innovation leader Hwang Kyo-ahn have already declared their candidacies, while Kim Cheol-geun, former Secretary-General of the Reform Party (RP), is being mentioned as a potential candidate. If the DPK also fields a candidate, six parties will clash in Pyeongtaek-eul, setting the stage for a chaotic multi-cornered race. Cho asserted, "In the People Power Party, which is a party that condones insurrection, four contenders, including three-term former lawmaker and preliminary candidate Yu Eui-dong, are vying to reclaim what they see as their stronghold," and added confidently, "Let me say this clearly: only I, Cho Kuk, can completely defeat these far-right, insurrectionist political forces and deliver a decisive victory for the democratic reform camp."
haeram@fnnews.com Lee Hae-ram, Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter