Ha Jeong-woo, Senior Presidential Secretary for AI and Future Planning, is increasingly likely to be fielded in the by-election for the Busan Buk-gap National Assembly seat. The constituency is currently held by Jeon Jae-su of the Democratic Party of Korea, and a June by-election would be triggered if Jeon becomes the party's Busan mayoral candidate. Speculation that Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, and former People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon may also run has drawn intense political attention to the district.
According to political sources on Wednesday, Cho Seung-rae, secretary general of the Democratic Party who oversees the party's election operations, met Ha at an undisclosed location in Yeouido, Seoul, the previous day to sound him out about running in Busan Buk-gap. Ha reportedly indicated at the meeting that he is deliberating on the matter. A party leadership official said, "Buk-gap was a seat that could be won only because of Jeon," adding, "To keep the seat, the Democratic Party needs a fresh figure like Ha to step up as Jeon's successor."
Jeon himself declared his Busan mayoral bid on the 2nd in front of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries building in Busan, saying, "I look forward to the emergence of a new generation like Senior Secretary Ha." Buk-gap was the only constituency in Busan where a Democratic Party lawmaker won among the city's 18 seats in the last general election. If Jeon becomes the mayoral candidate, he is reviewing a plan to resign his National Assembly seat by April 30 so that the by-election can be held alongside the June local elections.
Ha had previously firmly denied speculation about running in Busan, but he has shown signs of a shift in attitude since Jeon's public remarks. Appearing on YTN Radio the previous day, Ha said of Jeon naming him as a potential successor, "I cannot not deliberate on it." He said he has not had specific discussions with President Lee Jae-myung, but added, "Ultimately the decision of the authority who holds the personnel power is extremely important, and we don't know how that person will decide." He also highlighted his ties to Buk-gap, saying, "I attended Sasang Elementary, Sasang Middle, and Gudeok High School. When I was born, Sasang-gu didn't exist separately — it was Buk-gu. So I was born and raised in Buk-gu, and the Buk-gap constituency is where I used to run around and play every day."
If Ha's candidacy is finalized, the Buk-gap race is expected to become a marquee contest. Cho Kuk of the Rebuilding Korea Party is also weighing a run in Busan Buk-gap. On the PPP side, Park Min-sik, former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, who posted a 2-win, 2-loss record against Jeon in Buk-gap from the 18th through 21st National Assembly elections, is being mentioned as a potential candidate.
The biggest variable is whether Han Dong-hoon, who was expelled from the PPP, will run. If Han enters the race, it is expected to have a significant impact on the broader regional elections including the Busan mayoral race. Seo Byeong-su, PPP constituency committee chairman for Buk-gap and a former Busan mayor, recently said, "If a big contest unfolds, Han and the PPP should form an alliance." In contrast, PPP lawmaker Park Soo-young (Busan Nam-gu) said, "If he runs as an independent and we also field a candidate, and the Democratic Party fields one too, it will only end up benefiting the Democratic Party candidate," calling it "a truly unforgivable mistake."