Chief Ha Jungwoo Responds to Busan By-election Offer: "I Prefer to Work at the Blue House for Now"

When asked, "What would you do if the President told you to decide?"
Senior Secretary Ha replied, "I would choose to stay."

Jung-woo Ha, Chief of AI Future Planning at the Blue House, who has been receiving offers from the ruling party to run in the Busan Buk-gu Gap by-election, stated on the 14th, "I prefer to focus on my work at the Blue House for the time being."

Appearing on SBS's "Kim Taehyun's Political Show" on this day, Chief Ha said, "The President told me to work, so I should work hard," expressing his position. Chief Ha added, "Depending on the President's decision, I may continue in my role, or things could turn out differently. The President may tell me to decide for myself, or he may determine what best serves the national interest."

Jung-woo Ha, Chief of AI Future Planning at the Blue House, is speaking at the 3rd meeting of the AI Innovation Committee held at GS Tower in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on April 10, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

When asked, "What would you do if the President told you to make the decision yourself?" Chief Ha replied, "I would choose to remain in my current position." He emphasized, "It's not that Busan isn't important—Busan's transition to artificial intelligence (AI) is extremely important—but from my perspective, the national strategy being implemented at the Blue House is a priority."

Chief Ha further explained, "The President's view of the national interest may differ, so it's not a decision I would make on my own. That's why I would consult the President before deciding."

When asked about reports that the party believes "eight-tenths of the process has already been cleared," Chief Ha responded, "I'm not sure what standard the party is using. Since Thursday (April 9), I haven't received any further contact," he said firmly. Regarding a meeting with Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, he added, "There are no plans that have been made."

Previously, Lee Yeon-hee, the Democratic Party's Head of Strategic Planning, stated in a press briefing on April 12, "Chief Ha recently met with the party's Secretary-General and senior members, and this week, leader Jeong is planning to meet with him directly to request his candidacy."

Meanwhile, on April 9, President Lee Jae-myung commented to Chief Ha, "There's still so much work to do, so you shouldn't leave just because you're being courted for another role." This was seen as an indirect reference to the ruling party's efforts to recruit Ha Jung-woo. At the time, Chief Ha replied, "I will focus on my work."

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