Former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-sik was selected on Monday as the People Power Party (PPP) candidate for the Busan Buk-gu A National Assembly by-election, which will be held concurrently with the June 3 local elections. The Buk-gu A race now features a three-way contest among Park, Democratic Party candidate and former presidential AI Future Planning Secretary Ha Jung-woo, and former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, who is running as an independent.
Park Deok-hyum, chairman of the PPP's nomination committee, held a press conference at the party's central headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, announcing that "based on the results of the Buk-gu A primary held on May 3 and 4, Park has been confirmed as the PPP candidate." The primary reflected party member votes and public opinion polls at a 50-50 ratio. Former KBS reporter Lee Young-poong competed against Park but fell short.
A Busan native, Park graduated from Gupo Elementary School, Gupo Middle School, and Pusan National University's affiliated high school. He served two terms as a lawmaker representing Busan Buk·Gangseo A before serving as the first Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
Upon receiving the primary results, Park said, "I bow deeply to all those who warmly embraced me again despite knowing my shortcomings, and to those who awakened me with stern words." He pledged victory, stating, "If we win in Buk-gu, Busan wins, and if Busan wins, South Korea's conservatism will rise again."
With Park's nomination in Buk-gu A finalized, the PPP has now confirmed candidates in 12 of the 14 by-election districts. The remaining districts are Gongju·Buyeo·Cheongyang in South Chungcheong Province and Gunsan·Gimje·Buan B in North Jeolla Province.
In Gongju·Buyeo·Cheongyang, the nomination committee has suspended its review after former National Assembly Vice Speaker Chung Jin-suk, who served as former President Yoon Suk-yeol's final chief of staff, declared his candidacy, raising concerns both inside and outside the party over a potential "Yoon Again" backlash. In Gunsan·Gimje·Buan B, the party is conducting a new round of candidate recruitment. Regarding the review of Chung's nomination, chairman Park said, "If the ethics committee convenes as scheduled on the 7th, we will receive those results and call a meeting to discuss the matter."
