President Lee Jae-myung on Friday told Ha Jung-woo, his Senior Secretary for AI and Future Planning, not to be swayed by political recruitment efforts amid growing speculation about Ha's candidacy in an upcoming by-election.
"Ha-GPT, you have so much work these days, but it seems someone is making a pitch at you," Lee said to Ha during the first plenary session of the National Economic Advisory Council at Cheong Wa Dae. "Don't fall for it just because they're making a pitch."
Ha responded, "I will focus on my work."
The president's remarks appeared to reference recent speculation that Ha could run in the Busan Buk-gap by-election. The by-election will be held in the district if Rep. Jeon Jae-su of the Democratic Party of Korea, the current lawmaker for the constituency, is confirmed as the party's candidate for Busan mayor later Friday.
The Democratic Party leadership has been actively courting Ha. Party Chairman Chung Chung-rae, speaking to reporters Thursday after a visit to grape farms in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province, was asked whether the party's secretary-general recently met with Ha with the by-election nomination in mind.
"We are making efforts," Chung said. "We are visiting him three times, just as we did with former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum," referring to the ancient Chinese tale of Liu Bei making three visits to recruit the strategist Zhuge Liang.