Park Minsik and Han Donghoon Intensify Conservative Infighting... Buk-gu Gap in Busan Heats Up

As the by-election for the Buk-gu Gap district of Busan, which will be held alongside the 9th nationwide local elections on June 3, 2026, approaches, the internal strife within the conservative bloc is intensifying. The tension between Park Minsik, the People Power Party candidate, and Han Donghoon, an independent candidate, is fierce. However, calls for unification of the candidates to prevent the ruling party from benefiting are also gaining traction.

According to the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission on May 12, a poll commissioned by KBS Busan Bureau and conducted by Korea Research from May 8 to 10 found that support for candidates in the Buk-gu Gap by-election stood at 37% for Ha Jeongwoo of the Democratic Party of Korea, 30% for Han Donghoon, and 17% for Park Minsik. While Ha and Han are locked in a close race within the margin of error, Park is trailing and attempting to catch up.

The conservative bloc is currently engaged in an internal battle in Buk-gu Gap that is more intense than the main election itself. A recent heated exchange through radio interviews exemplifies this. Park appeared on MBC's "Kim Jongbae's Focus" and, referring to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, said, "The trial is not even over yet," and added, "Historical judgment should be made over a long period of time." In response, Han appeared on SBS's "Kim Taehyun's Political Show" and remarked, "A vote for Park Minsik is a vote for Jang Donghyuk."

Park also criticized Han for recruiting former lawmaker Jeong Hyeonggeun, who is known for his staunch conservative stance, as his campaign chairman, stating, "The values we pursue as conservatives do not align with the image Mr. Jeong represents." Regarding Han, Park said, "He only looks out for his own survival, tries to shift the blame for defeat onto other conservatives, and engages in divisive politics that cannot lead to victory." Park's remarks effectively raised the so-called 'betrayer theory.'

Meanwhile, within the party, the need for candidate unification continues to be discussed, stemming from concerns that Ha could win by default. Previous polls indicate that, if the conservative bloc unifies behind Han, Ha would lead Park 43% to 31%, a gap outside the margin of error. If the bloc unifies behind Park, Ha and Park would be in a close race at 40% to 37%, within the margin of error.

Notably, the recent survey found that 71% of People Power Party supporters favor unification of the conservative candidates. Park Hyungjun, the Busan mayoral candidate, also emphasized during a closed campaign committee meeting the previous day, "A significant portion of conservative voters want unification. We must end the division starting from Buk-gu Gap and take the first step toward integration."

Whether candidate unification will materialize remains uncertain. While Han has commented that "There is nothing in the world that is impossible" and that "The will of the people should be prioritized," Park has repeatedly stated his position that "There will be no candidate unification."

Meanwhile, this survey was conducted via telephone interviews with 500 adults residing in Buk-gu Gap, Busan, with a response rate of 22.7%. The margin of error is ±4.4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. For more details, refer to the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission website.