Se Byung-su Declares Non-Candidacy for Next Year's Busan Mayoral By-Election... "Will Lay the Foundation for the Presidential Election" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Hyemin and Im Chunhan] Seo Byung-soo, a senior member of the party and former mayor of Busan, who is a member of the People Power Party representing Busan Jin-gu Gap, announced on the 21st that he will not run in the Busan mayoral by-election scheduled for April next year. Seo was initially considered a strong candidate for a mayoral re-challenge in Busan.

On the afternoon of the same day, Seo held a press conference at the Busan City Council briefing room, stating, "I will not run in the Busan mayoral by-election next year. Although I have many regrets, I will return to my original intentions."

He explained his reason for not running by saying, "Two years ago, I created a platform called 'Leadership 4.0' and paid close attention to young conservatives armed with dedication and responsibility. Now, it is time for the younger future generation to create a new history in Busan that surpasses the achievements of industrialization and democratization." This means he intends to step aside to allow a young candidate to emerge.

Seo emphasized his role by saying, "I believe that laying the foundation for supporting the conservative right in the 2022 presidential election is a greater mission I must undertake than running for Busan mayor."

Seo had been mentioned as a leading candidate for the next Busan mayor following the resignation of former Mayor Oh Keo-don. This recognition was due to his experience leading Busan's administration for four years before losing to Oh in the 2018 local elections. Seo was also reportedly preparing seriously to run for mayor.

However, Seo’s final decision not to run appears to be influenced by recent Busan mayoral by-election opinion polls falling short of expectations, making it difficult for him to justify his candidacy. Additionally, with the People Power Party holding only 103 seats, there is a negative sentiment within the party regarding current lawmakers running, which also affected his decision.

Currently, those who have officially declared their candidacy for Busan mayor from the People Power Party include Professor Park Hyung-joon of Dong-A University, former lawmaker Lee Eon-ju, and former lawmakers Lee Jin-bok, Park Min-sik, and Yoo Jae-joong. According to opinion polls, Professor Park is leading, with Lee Eon-ju closely trailing. Seo, who had formed a three-way race, announced his withdrawal today, drawing attention to how this will change the dynamics of the primary election.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.