Jung Chung-rae of the Democratic Party of Korea said on the 27th, "I persuaded Ha Jung-woo, senior secretary for AI future planning at the presidential office, to become the driving force for victory in the June 3 local elections."
At an on-site Supreme Council meeting held in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, that morning, Jung said, "I think I may be able to deliver good news to you," and stated accordingly.
He went on, "Last night (on the 26th), after I finished attending the opening ceremony for Kim Boo-kyum, the Daegu mayoral candidate, I came up to Seoul and had dinner with Secretary Ha," adding, "I talked for about two hours, saying that if we're talking about the architect of making Korea one of the top three AI powerhouses, isn't that Secretary Ha, and that what he designed should be completed and finalized at the National Assembly through legislation."
Jung also said, "The moment I saw (Secretary Ha), I felt he was kind, and although he is a scientist as a computer engineering major, he is a good-natured genius who is very interested in all matters of the world," adding, "So I wanted him even more. He is a native who went to elementary, middle and high school all in Buk-gu, and a true Busan man."
He continued, "I persuaded him because I thought he would be the perfect, tailor-made lawmaker to inherit and develop Representative Chun Jae-soo's constituency," adding, "(Secretary Ha) said he would go home and think about it, but I think he may have made his final decision overnight."
According to political circles, Secretary Ha is expected to tender his resignation as early as today and run in the Busan Buk-gap National Assembly by-election. Presidential office Spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo is also said to be set to tender a resignation along with Secretary Ha, with Asan B in South Chungcheong Province in mind.