Han Donghun Registers as Preliminary Candidate for Buk-gu Gap By-election: "Rebuilding Conservatism Through Election Victory"

Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon completed his registration as a preliminary candidate for the National Assembly by-election in the Bukgap constituency of Buk-gu, Busan, on May 4. Han stated, "Through victory in this election, I will rebuild a conservative force that can properly check the runaway Lee Jae-myung administration."

After registering as a preliminary candidate at the Buk-gu Election Commission in Busan on the same day, Han met with reporters and said, "Politicians who previously ran in Bukgap have failed to deliver the level of local development that people expected," adding, "Bukgap has always been the 18th priority in Busan, but now it must become the top priority for Busan and for the Republic of Korea."

Independent candidate Han Dong-hoon, a prospective candidate for the Busan Bukgap constituency by-election, registered as a preliminary candidate at the Buk-gu Election Commission office in Gupo-dong, Busan, on the afternoon of the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News

원본보기 아이콘

Regarding Park Minsik and Lee Youngpung, preliminary candidates from the People Power Party who dismissed the possibility of a single candidacy, Han commented, "Unification is not a matter of political engineering," and criticized, "The perception that it is acceptable to lose to the Democratic Party as long as Han Dong-hoon is blocked is problematic."

On the so-called "oppa controversy" that erupted the previous day at Gupo Market in Busan, involving Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheongrae and Ha Jungwoo, the Democratic Party's preliminary candidate for Bukgu-gap, Han said, "It is unacceptable," and added, "Their response afterward was even more disappointing." He went on to say, "The public will see and judge for themselves."

Regarding the opinion poll results announced that morning, Han stated, "I will not be swayed by the ups and downs of polling numbers while meeting with citizens," adding, "The expectations and sense of responsibility I feel from citizens on the ground are much greater."

According to a poll conducted by Hangil Research at the request of Busan MBC from May 1 to 3, targeting 548 residents of Bukgap in Buk-gu, Busan, 34.3% of respondents said Ha Jungwoo, the Democratic Party candidate, was most suitable as a member of the National Assembly, while independent candidate Han Dong-hoon received 33.5%, a difference of 0.8 percentage points. Park Minsik, former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and candidate from the People Power Party, was supported by 21.5% of respondents.

This survey was conducted using a mixed method: wireless ARS (84.3%) and wired RDD (15.7%). The response rate was 5.3%, and the margin of error was ±4.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. For further details on the survey, please refer to the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.