The ruling and opposition parties plan to finalize their Busan mayoral candidates this week. In the People Power Party, incumbent Mayor Park Heong-joon and challenger Rep. Joo Jin-woo are locked in a tight race. In the Democratic Party of Korea, Rep. Chun Jae-soo and former Busan party chair Lee Jae-sung are competing, with assessments saying Chun holds the advantage.
The key questions in the Busan mayoral race are "whether the People Power Party will hold the fort" and "whether Rep. Chun Jae-soo, who is under investigation over alleged receipt of money and valuables from the Unification Church, will make a comeback." If Rep. Joo Jin-woo and Rep. Chun Jae-soo win their parties' nominations, by-elections in both of their districts could also become focal points.
◇ In the last general election, only Chun Jae-soo won for the Democratic Party; Chun also ranks first in recent polls
In recent elections, Busan has been a region where the People Power Party has shown overwhelming strength. In the 2022 local elections, Park Heong-joon was elected mayor. In the 2024 National Assembly general election, the People Power Party won 17 of the 18 constituencies. The only district the Democratic Party won was Buk-gu A, where Rep. Chun Jae-soo secured a third term.
Gupo Market is called the barometer of public sentiment in Buk-gu. Hwang Ju-young, 61, who has run a sashimi restaurant there for 20 years, said on the 3rd, "The lawmaker does not visit the market just for show during election season; he comes regularly as a regular and asks if there are any difficulties. He has a friendly image and a good reputation." Kim, 55, who said she has run a side-dish shop for 15 years, said, "I have seen firsthand how hard the lawmaker worked in Buk-gu, so even if he becomes Busan mayor, I think he will steer city affairs stably and well," adding, "I am not voting for the Democratic Party; I am voting because it is the lawmaker."
Chun is seizing the early initiative by leading People Power Party contenders beyond the margin of error in a Busan mayoral suitability poll. According to a suitability survey of mayoral candidates conducted by Ace Research for the Busan Ilbo on the 3rd–4th of Busan residents aged 18 or older (1,004 respondents), Chun ranked first with 40.6 percent. He was followed by People Power Party Mayor Park Heong-joon at 23.6 percent and Rep. Joo Jin-woo at 15.6 percent.
However, the fact that Chun is currently under investigation over alleged receipt of money and valuables from the Unification Church could be a variable. Lee, 63, who runs a hiking apparel store, said, "I've heard about the investigation into the lawmaker, but since nothing is certain yet, the mood is to wait and see," while adding, "If concrete investigation results come out, it could be a blow."
◇ "In the end, the People Power Party will win"… incumbent Park Heong-joon vs. challenger Joo Jin-woo
Outside Buk-gu A, support for the People Power Party grew louder. Kang, 47, met on Gunam-ro, the main commercial strip in Haeundae known as "the Gangnam of Busan," said, "Even if the Democratic Party's approval rating appears high in polls, in the end the Busan mayor will be from the People Power Party." Kang added, "Recently, President Lee Jae-myung spoke negatively about the Busan Global Hub City Special Act, and public sentiment toward the Democratic Party is not good."
Kim, 29, said of Rep. Chun Jae-soo, "In an election season, the mere fact that a candidate is under investigation is a burden for Busan citizens." Kim added, "For the People Power Party right now, general-election competitiveness matters more than a fresh image," and said, "From that standpoint, incumbent Mayor Park Heong-joon, who has administrative experience and has shown stable city management, has the edge."
By contrast, Kim Seung-min, 39, who runs a restaurant on Gunam-ro, said, "In the end, what has Mayor Park done for Busan?" and added, "Busan faces many pending tasks. Since challenger Rep. Joo Jin-woo is young and has drive, I hope he becomes mayor and makes Busan more vibrant."
◇ Will a Han Dong-hoon vs. Cho Kuk "big match" materialize in Buk-gu A's by-election?
If Rep. Joo Jin-woo from the People Power Party and Rep. Chun Jae-soo from the Democratic Party each win their party nominations, by-elections in both of their constituencies, Haeundae A and Buk-gu A, will be held alongside the local elections.
In particular, for Buk-gu A, beyond the possibility of a "big match" between former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon and Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk, there is even talk that Ha Jung-woo, senior presidential secretary for AI Future Planning, may run. At a press conference announcing his Busan mayoral bid, Chun mentioned the Buk-gu A by-election and said, "I look forward to the emergence of a new figure like Senior Secretary Ha Jung-woo."
Citizen assessments of the mentioned pool of potential candidates varied. Kim, a clothing-shop merchant at Gupo Market, said, "Former leader Han speaks well and is diligent, so many people like him," adding, "Leader Cho is very polarizing. Because there have been many controversies, many people dislike him."
Hwang, who runs a sashimi restaurant, said, "Frankly, neither of them has ties to Buk-gu, and they seem to lack understanding. It looks like they're ultimately trying to extend their political lives," adding, "I question whether such people are qualified to run in Buk-gu A."
As for Senior Secretary Ha, many responded, "I don't know who that is." A citizen, 32, met at the market said, "(Senior Secretary Ha) is a figure with no connection to Buk-gu at all," and added, "If you're going to be a lawmaker, I think someone with ties to the area should run."
Another merchant said, "Former People Power Party lawmaker Park Min-sik, who once served as a lawmaker in Buk-gu, has also been making the rounds recently."