The People Power Party leadership converged on the afternoon of the 10th for the opening of the campaign office of Park Min-sik, the party's candidate in the Busan Buk-gap National Assembly by-election. It was a show of force meant to counter the opening of the campaign office of Han Dong-hoon, who was expelled from the party, and to avoid losing ground in the battle of momentum.
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok attended the opening and praised Park, calling him "a true worker and a true Buk-gu person, born and raised in Buk-gu."
By contrast, he aimed at independent candidate Han Dong-hoon, saying, "The People Power Party fell on hard times because of division, and it should be someone like Park Min-sik, who has steadfastly defended conservatism, not someone who sowed the seeds of conflict and division, who should solidify the party anew." Aiming at Ha Jung-woo, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, he said, "This is someone who doesn't know how to do politics and shouldn't be doing it. A candidate handpicked and sent down by Lee Jae-myung, who is wrecking the Republic of Korea wholesale."
People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seog also disparaged Han, saying, "I won't talk about people who go around wearing white." About Ha, he said, "This is someone who is not prepared to enter politics. A market vendor worked hard and raised excellent children, and after shaking hands (with that vendor), is it acceptable to vigorously shake off one's hands?"
At Park's opening, 9 of the party's senior lawmakers and 17 Busan-affiliated lawmakers joined.
Park said, "I will repay this fight between a 'fake Buk-gu resident' and a true Buk-gu person with certain victory," and added, "Buk-gu stands at the starting point of whether conservatism rises again or collapses."
At the same hour, the opening of Han's campaign office, held in a building across from the entrance to Gupo Market, was also packed. Unlike Park's opening, which drew many from the People Power Party leadership and incumbent lawmakers, Han's event was made up mostly of market merchants and Buk-gap residents. Lawmakers in the pro-Han camp did not attend at all that day at Han's request.
Kim Bo-gap, an elderly merchant at Gupo Market who drew attention after handing Han tomatoes and sticky rice, said at the opening, "I don't like it here; I want to go to the presidential office." Han replied, "If I win in Buk-gap and go to the presidential office, I will make sure to invite you."
Honorary campaign chief Seo Byeong-su said, "I left the People Power Party, but I am a party member to the bone, and Han is probably the same," adding, "Han is an even more orthodox conservative candidate than People Power Party candidate Park Min-sik, and a candidate who should go together with the People Power Party."
Han said, "I have nothing further to say today. As I said and as the residents who came to today's opening have said, we will develop Buk-gu, rebuild conservatism, and stop the runaway course of the Lee Jae-myung administration."