Han Donghoon Launches First Official Campaign with Midnight Greetings at Deokcheon Station: "I Will Be the Stepping Stone for Buk-gu"

"I Will Defeat the Proxy of the Lee Jaemyung Administration"
Emphasizes Rebuilding the Conservative Movement and Determination to Stay in the Race

Han Donghoon, an independent candidate running in the Busan Buk-gu Gap by-election, launched a "close engagement with residents" strategy from the very first day of his official campaign. His schedule, which included greeting commuters on the last train at midnight, canvassing during the early morning rush hour, meeting merchants at a traditional market, and volunteering at a welfare center, demonstrated his commitment to a locally focused campaign.

At midnight on the 21st, Han visited Deokcheon Station in Busan to greet residents returning home on the last subway train, marking the start of his first official campaign activities. He shook hands with citizens, posed for photos upon request, and continued his on-site greetings until midnight.

Han Donghoon, an independent candidate running in the Busan Buk-gu Gap by-election, began his first official campaign on the 21st by engaging with residents heading home on the last train at Deokcheon Station. Photo provided by Han Donghoon’s campaign team

Han stated, "I began my official campaign by meeting citizens who had just finished their long day," adding, "I will do my utmost to truly develop Buk-gu and to rebuild the conservative movement."

Later in the morning, he held a campaign event during the morning commute at the Greencore Intersection in Mandeok-dong and visited Gupo Market to greet local merchants. In the afternoon, he continued his locally-focused schedule by participating in a volunteer event serving soybean noodle soup to seniors at Namsanjeong Community Welfare Center. At 6 p.m., he is scheduled to hold his official campaign launch event near Gupo Market.

On the same day, Han also responded via Facebook to comments from Kim Youngjin, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, who claimed that Han was using Buk-gu as a "host" for his political comeback. Han retorted, "I came to Buk-gu not to use it as a stepping stone, but to become a stepping stone for Buk-gu," and explained that he was running to put an end to the outdated politics of the Democratic Party.

The debate over the possibility of a unified opposition candidacy also continued. Lawmaker Kim, appearing on MBC Radio the previous day, insisted that unification was only possible if Han withdrew from the race and supported Park Minshik, the People Power Party candidate. In contrast, Han stated, "There is no such thing as 100% in politics. Absolute statements can often express fear, and the will of the people is already showing the way," expressing his determination to see the race through to the end.

The Busan Buk-gu Gap election is shaping up as a three-way contest among Democratic Party candidate Ha Jungwoo, People Power Party candidate Park Minshik, and Han, with the possibility of conservative unification seen as the biggest variable in the final stages of the race.

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