Cho Kuk and Han Donghoon Decide on Districts... Challenging Road Ahead with Candidate Unification Unresolved

Cho Kuk Faces Challenge of Candidate Unification in Multi-Party Race
Han Donghoon Yet to Define Relationship with People Power Party

Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, and Han Donghoon, former leader of the People Power Party, have officially announced their candidacies for the National Assembly by-elections scheduled for June 3, coinciding with the local elections. Cho Kuk has chosen Pyeongtaek-eul in Gyeonggi Province, while Han Donghoon has selected Buk-gu-gap in Busan. However, as complex issues such as candidate consolidation remain unresolved, a tough path is expected before either of them secures a seat in the National Assembly.

Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 14th to declare his candidacy for the parliamentary by-election in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, which will be held together with the June 3 local elections. 2026.4.14 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

According to political circles on the 14th, Pyeongtaek-eul in Gyeonggi Province, where Cho Kuk declared his candidacy, is classified as a swing district. Although the progressive bloc has been significantly strengthened by the development of Godeok New Town, the conservative bloc remains strong, particularly in Paengseong-eup, Godeok-myeon, Oseong-myeon, and Hyundeok-myeon. This is why, even before the redistricting, People Power Party candidates won consecutively in the 19th, 20th, and 21st general elections.

The electoral race is also expected to be intense. On the conservative side, former People Power Party lawmakers Yoo Eui-dong and Lee Jaeyoung, both of whom have previously represented this district in the National Assembly, as well as Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of Liberty and Innovation and former Prime Minister, have thrown their hats into the ring. There are also reports that Kim Cheolgeun, former secretary-general of the Reform Party, may be nominated by that party.

The same applies to Cho Kuk’s original, progressive camp. Kim Jae-yeon, leader of the Progressive Party, has declared her candidacy, and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea is also considering a strategic nomination for the constituency. Reflecting on this situation, Cho Kuk stated, "Pyeongtaek-eul is the most challenging of the difficult constituencies for the Democratic and reformist camp."

The key issue for Cho Kuk in the Pyeongtaek-eul by-election is whether the progressive camp will consolidate around a single candidate. For now, the Democratic Party has drawn a clear line against such consolidation, as leader Jeong Cheongrae has publicly committed to fielding candidates in all constituencies. However, demands for candidate consolidation within the progressive bloc present an opportunity. The Democratic Party and the Innovation Party are also scheduled to hold a closed-door meeting between their respective secretary-generals this week.

The Progressive Party is demanding that the Democratic Party refrain from nominating a candidate in Pyeongtaek-eul as a precondition for consolidating the Ulsan mayoral candidate. A ruling party official stated, "Unlike the Democratic Party, which has a stake in the Ulsan mayoral race, Cho Kuk and the Innovation Party have no particular political debt to the Progressive Party," adding, "This could prove advantageous in the process of candidate consolidation."

Yonhap News Agency

Buk-gu-gap, where former leader Han Donghoon has indicated his intention to run, is also a challenging district. It is the constituency of Jeon Jae-soo, the Democratic Party's candidate for Busan mayor, who has served three consecutive terms based on his personal competitiveness. Even in a two-way race, victory is not guaranteed.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the People Power Party has repeatedly emphasized their strong intention to field a candidate in Buk-gu-gap. Currently, Park Minshik, former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and a two-term lawmaker from this district, is reportedly preparing to run. Choi Sujin, the party's chief spokesperson for the parliamentary floor, stated on this day, "At present, candidate consolidation is not something under consideration."

Within the ruling bloc, there are reports that Hajungwoo, Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning, may be nominated as a candidate. If Hajungwoo, who is set to inherit Jeon Jae-soo’s constituency, runs as a "running mate," it would shape the race. Appearing on SBS's "Kim Taehyun’s Political Show" on this day, Hajungwoo said, "The President will make a decision based on what best serves the national interest."

Within the party, there are already calls for either not nominating a candidate or for candidate consolidation, as a three-way race could increase the risk of defeat. On this day, Kim Doeup, a People Power Party lawmaker, held a press conference demanding that the party not nominate a candidate in Buk-gu-gap. Kim stated, "The leadership insists on nominating a candidate no matter what, but who will take responsibility for the election results?" In response, Han Donghoon appeared on CBS's "Park Sungtae’s News Show," saying, "Ultimately, it will be the citizens of Busan who decide."

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