Han Dong-hoon, former leader of the People Power Party, criticized Ha Jung-woo, senior presidential secretary for AI future planning, over Ha’s suggestion that he may run in the Busan Buk-gu Gap parliamentary by-election to be held alongside the June 3 local elections.
Speaking on BBS Radio’s “Geum Tae-seop’s Morning Journal” on Monday, Han said Ha appeared to be entering the race not by his own decision but to “fight a proxy battle” for President Lee Jae-myung.
Han said Ha had stated that he would need President Lee’s permission to run and would not do so without it.
Han also accused Ha of neglecting AI policy while weighing a bid for the by-election. “AI is extremely important and we’re in a golden time,” Han said, adding that Ha spent about a month wavering over whether to run and that “AI was pushed to the back burner.” Han added, “He hasn’t done anything for 10 months.”
Han said he would use the election to reflect public sentiment, arguing that the People Power Party’s leadership has damaged the party and failed to effectively check the Lee administration.
On criticism from Park Min-sik, a former minister of patriots and veterans affairs who has also signaled interest in running in Busan Buk-gu Gap, Han said Park has not been nominated and that he saw no need to respond. Han added that he understood why Park’s remarks were becoming harsher ahead of the election, describing Park as someone who “hurt” the district and left.
Asked about the possibility of unifying conservative candidates in what is expected to be a three-way race, Han said such a move was only a dependent variable compared with the broader push to rebuild conservatism and local hopes for development. He said there was no reason for him to propose unification first and that there was no need to cite political calculations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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