Jung Chung-rae Says, "Postponing Busan Buk-gu-gap By-election? We Won't Use Such Tricks"

[Financial News] Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, dismissed the possibility on the 17th that the by-election in the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency could be pushed back to next year, saying, "There is absolutely no way that will happen."
After finishing a meal service for homeless people at Mannasaem, a social welfare institution near Seoul Station, Jung told reporters, "Lawmakers who are elected as candidates for metropolitan mayors will resign in April, and we plan to nominate candidates accordingly."
His remarks are seen as referring to Representative Jeon Jae-su of the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency, who has been selected as a candidate for Mayor of Busan. After former People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon declared his bid in the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency, some within the Democratic Party of Korea have floated the idea of postponing the by-election until next year. The party is struggling to find a suitable candidate in this strongly conservative district, and Ha Jung-woo, Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning at Cheong Wa Dae, whom party leaders and former lawmakers are urging to run, is still undecided.
For Jeon to run in the Busan mayoral race, he must resign his parliamentary seat in the constituency by May 4. Taking into account the time needed to prepare for the by-election, his resignation effectively needs to be completed by the 30th of this month. If he steps down between May 1 and 4, the Busan Buk-gu-gap by-election will be postponed to April next year.
However, appearing on SBS Radio the same day, Jeon said, "Leaving the parliamentary seat vacant for a year would not be respectful to the residents who nurtured me. It also goes against my political convictions," adding, "I will resign before April 30."
Speaking to reporters the same day, Jung also noted, "It seems there are suspicions in some quarters that we might miss the resignation deadline and delay the by-election by a year," and stressed, "If we left the seat empty for a year, would the local voters ever forgive the Democratic Party of Korea? We will not resort to such tricks."
jiwon.song@fnnews.com Song Ji-won Reporter