"Election Interference" vs. "I Persuaded 'Tongnim'"... Han Dong-hoon and Ha Jung-woo Clash on SNS Over Busan Buk-gap By-election

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[The Financial News] Ha Jung-woo, former Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning at the Blue House, who recently submitted his resignation and officially declared his candidacy in the by-election for the National Assembly member in the Busan Buk-gap constituency, and Han Dong-hoon, former leader of the People Power Party running as an independent, exchanged sharp words on social networking service (SNS), signaling a full-scale clash.
Han said on his SNS on the 29th, "Ha, the former secretary, had been saying that he would stay at the Blue House unless President Lee Jae Myung told him to run in the Busan Buk-gap by-election, and that he had no choice, but then he announced his candidacy."
He added, "When I pointed out that it would be illegal election interference if the president had instructed me to run, Ha changed his story and said it was not election interference because he himself persuaded 'Tongnim (President Lee Jae Myung, right?)' to run."
Han also criticized him, saying, "It is a problem either way, whether Ha lied by blaming the president even though he wanted to run himself, or whether he is lying as if the president did not issue an illegal order to run."
As Han launched the first attack, Ha also moved into response mode through SNS.
Ha shot back, "I persuaded Tongnim, he agreed with my view, and he readily accepted it right away. He said I should work for the national interest wherever I am." He added, "It was not an order from Tongnim, but my persuasion, so it cannot be considered election interference by Lee Jae Myung. There is no need to be swayed by unreasonable logic."
With Ha having officially declared his candidacy, the Busan Buk-gap by-election, which will be held alongside the June 3 local elections, is shaping up as a three-way race between Ha, Han, and the People Power Party candidate.
The People Power Party has yet to choose its candidate, but former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik and Lee Young-pung, a conservative YouTuber and former KBS reporter, have already thrown their hats into the ring.
gaa1003@fnnews.com An Ga-eul Reporter