Park Min-sik, former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and confirmed People Power Party (PPP) candidate for the Busan Buk-gap parliamentary by-election, drew a firm line on Wednesday, saying "the possibility of unifying candidacy with former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon is zero." Meanwhile, as the possibility of disciplinary action resurfaced against PPP lawmaker Han Ji-ah, who has thrown her support behind Han, internal conflict within the party over the Busan Buk-gap race is intensifying.
The PPP's Candidate Nomination Committee held a briefing at the party's central headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the same day and announced that Park had been finalized as the Buk-gap candidate, defeating former KBS reporter Lee Young-pung. Park previously ran in Busan Buk-gap during the 18th and 19th National Assembly elections and served as a two-term lawmaker.
With Park's confirmation as candidate, the Busan Buk-gap election will be contested in a three-way race among Ha Jung-woo, former Senior Presidential Secretary for AI and Future Planning at the Democratic Party; Park of the PPP; and former PPP leader Han, running as an independent. While Ha is slightly ahead, the gap between the three candidates remains narrow in a tight race, making the possibility of candidate unification between Park and Han a key variable. Some observers note that if a broader conservative alliance materializes, the chances of victory could rise significantly.
However, Park dismissed the possibility of unification. "The possibility of unification is zero. If you enter an election, you must face judgment with dignity," he said. "Stop running wishful thinking scenarios." He added, "Political-engineering calculations are entirely wrong for the development of Buk-gu. Whether it is a two-way or three-way race, I am confident of victory."
PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk also reiterated his rejection of any alliance with Han. Regarding Han, Jang said, "This is a matter the party decided on with principle when expelling him," adding, "This issue and the matter of forming alliances with other parties are clearly different dimensions of problems. My position remains unchanged."
Meanwhile, internal rifts within the party flared up again after lawmaker Han Ji-ah visited Busan the previous day to support former leader Han. Jang said, "If you became a lawmaker through the party's nomination, you have roles and responsibilities that come with it," and indicated the possibility of disciplinary action, saying, "We will clarify the facts and take necessary measures." PPP Floor Leader Song Eon-seok also said the previous day, "If a complaint is filed against lawmaker Han, we will immediately impose disciplinary action through the Ethics Committee."
In response, lawmaker Han pushed back, saying, "What is needed now is not internal firing from the leadership but keeping the Democratic Party in check." She added, "If my trips to Busan help rebuild conservatism, I will go down ten times, a hundred times." PPP lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin also criticized the leadership, saying, "Former leader Han, who was driven out through a forced expulsion, is a PPP member. What is needed now is not reining in lawmaker Han, but reining in the business trips of the Jang Dong-hyuk leadership, which is a vote-losing factor."
