Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, visited Busan and again signaled his intention to recruit Ha Jung-woo, senior presidential secretary for AI future planning, for the Busan Buk-gap by-election. It came six days after President Lee Jae-myung made comments that seemed to put the brakes on speculation that Ha would run in the by-election.
On the 15th, at the on-site Supreme Council meeting held at the Busan Port International Convention Center, Leader Jung asked Democratic Party mayoral candidate for Busan Chun Jae-soo, "Do you like Senior Secretary Ha?" Chun replied, "Why do you keep asking me? I love him."
Near the end of the meeting that day, Jung said, "Starting with the No. 1 new-talent recruitment announcement on the 17th, we will finalize the Democratic Party's nominees for the by-elections, and strategic nominations will be the principle for the by-elections," opening the door. He then said, "If you look at the media these days, it's Ha Jung-woo, Ha Jung-woo; isn't Senior Secretary Ha your junior, Candidate Chun?" beginning to reveal his intention to recruit for the by-election.
Jung said, "I don't know whether Candidate Chun is better or Senior Secretary Ha is better, but did (Senior Secretary Ha) attend elementary, middle and high school here in Buk-gu?" He added, "Chun Jae-soo's love will probably be reported, so he will be able to feel it himself." Chun then noted, "Saying I love him doesn't mean I'm telling him to run."
The Democratic Party has been working to field Senior Secretary Ha in the Busan Buk-gap by-election. Jo Seung-rae, the party's secretary-general, recently met Ha in person to convey the party's interest in recruiting him, and Leader Jung even told reporters on the 8th that he would "make three earnest visits."
What put the brakes on the party's attempt to recruit Ha was President Lee Jae-myung's remarks. On the 9th, at the first plenary session of the National Economic Advisory Council, Lee said, "Our 'HaGPT (a nickname combining Senior Secretary Ha and ChatGPT)' has a lot to do these days, and it seems someone is trying to work on him," adding, "He shouldn't be swayed just because someone is working on him." Ha replied, "I will focus on my work."
Still, Jung does not appear ready to give up on recruiting Ha. With former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon having preemptively declared his candidacy in Busan Buk-gap, the Democratic Party believes it needs to go all out in response.
After finishing an afternoon visit to Bujeon Market in Busan that day, Jung also told reporters, "I think we will be able to present a very excellent and very popular candidate whose identity will not deviate much from what you expect," adding, "We will prepare to fully reflect public sentiment that hopes for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration and to prove the Lee Jae-myung administration's success."