The People Power Party has finalized former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-sik as its candidate for the Busan Buk-gap National Assembly by-election. Former Minister Park will face Ha Jung-woo of the Democratic Party of Korea and independent candidate Han Dong-hoon in a three-way race.
The People Power Party said on the 5th that former Minister Park was confirmed as the candidate after a primary for the Busan Buk-gap National Assembly by-election was held on the 3rd–4th using a method of "50% responsible party members, 50% public opinion poll."
Candidate Park graduated from Busan National University High School attached to the College of Education and Seoul National University's department of international relations, and passed the 22nd Foreign Service Examination. After working as a diplomat, Park passed the bar exam and served as a prosecutor. Entering politics in 2008, Park served as a lawmaker in the 18th and 19th National Assemblies and was the inaugural Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs in the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
The Busan Buk-gap National Assembly by-election is expected to be a three-way race among Candidate Park, Democratic Party candidate Ha Jung-woo, and independent candidate Han Dong-hoon. Busan Buk-gap is the constituency of Democratic Party Busan mayoral candidate Chun Jae-soo, with the ruling camp aiming to "defend" and the opposition seeking to "recapture."
As there is talk that Candidates Park and Han could split the conservative vote, some in the opposition are raising the need for a single candidacy. However, regarding unification, Candidate Park has said multiple times that "there is no possibility."