Ha Jung-woo, senior secretary for AI future planning, and Spokesperson Jeon Eun-su, key aides to President Lee Jae-myung, are considering resigning to run in the by-elections to be held along with the local elections on the 3rd of next month. Ha is likely to run in Busan Buk-gap, which became vacant after Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Chun Jae-soo declared a bid for Busan mayor, and Jeon is likely to run in Asan-eul in South Chungcheong, which had been the constituency of Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik.
Ha was said to be set to announce a final position soon after President Lee wrapped up an afternoon meeting on the 27th with Demis Hassabis, Google DeepMind co-founder and CEO. Depending on the timing of the president's approval, the Democratic Party leadership could as early as this week nominate Ha through an "talent recruitment" strategy pick.
Buk-gap is the only one of Busan's 18 districts that the Democratic Party has won. It is considered a tough battleground for the progressive camp. Former minister Chun, who served as minister of oceans and fisheries, won three consecutive terms on "individual skill," and Park Min-sik, former minister of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs from the People Power Party, and Han Dong-hoon, former People Power Party leader running as an independent, have declared their bids. The Democratic Party is looking to hold the seat by deploying Ha, a Busan native whom President Lee brought in as the "artificial intelligence (AI) government control tower," to the forefront.
Asan-eul, where former Spokesperson Jeon is preparing to run, became vacant after Chief of Staff Kang resigned his parliamentary seat. Jeon ran in Ulsan Nam-gap in the last general election and lost. Jeon later served as deputy spokesperson at Cheong Wa Dae and was promoted to spokesperson early this month. A ruling bloc official said, "Jeon is expected to tender a resignation within this week, go through the process to rejoin the party, and receive the nomination."
Under the Public Official Election Act, public officials running in the by-elections must resign by the 4th of next month, 30 days before the vote. If Ha and former Spokesperson Jeon finalize their bids, three of President Lee's key aides, including former Spokesperson Kim Nam-joon, will run simultaneously. Kim, a former spokesperson, received a strategic nomination for Incheon Gyeyang-eul, which had been President Lee's constituency. Kim Nam-kuk, a Democratic Party spokesperson who resigned as Cheong Wa Dae digital communications secretary amid influence-peddling allegations, has also expressed an intention to run in Ansan Gap, Gyeonggi Province.