President Lee Jae-myung visited Busan on the 27th and said, "We will move up a vigorous leap toward Korea as a maritime power that President Kim Young-sam dreamed of." He also pledged the transfer of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the establishment of a maritime court, both of which were Busan regional presidential campaign pledges. As Busan emerges as a key area for the June 3 local elections and by-elections, the schedule marks a second day in Busan after he pledged "strategic investment in the southeastern region" the previous day and visited Jagalchi Market.
At the 31st Ocean Day ceremony held at Korea Maritime University that day, Lee said, "The 1996 launch of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries under the Kim Young-sam administration was a declaration of strong intent to boost the competitiveness of shipping and ports, shipbuilding and the offshore industry, and fisheries, and to propel Korea into a maritime power."
Lee said, "We will foster Busan into Korea's undisputed maritime capital and develop the southeastern region into a 'southern maritime metropolitan area' to complete balanced national development, a task vital to the nation's survival," adding, "The government, recognizing that the shipping industry is not merely a logistics sector but a core industry that firmly supports the nation's economy and security, will nurture our shipping and port businesses as a national strategic industry."
He also said he would fully open the "Busan MOF era," saying, "In addition to shipping corporations and related public institutions, we will swiftly establish the maritime court now that legislation is complete, and promptly complete a maritime cluster where even the southeastern region investment corporation will be co-located as soon as National Assembly deliberations conclude." At a Cabinet meeting, he also mentioned the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) and HMM transfer to Busan, saying, "We must also swiftly push additional transfers of other public institutions or corporations."
The day before, one day ahead of the ceremony, he traveled to Busan and visited Jagalchi Market. Accompanied by first lady Kim Hea-kyung, he met with merchants, spoke with them, and reportedly purchased wild rock sea pineapple, spear squid, cuttlefish, tiger shrimp, sea cucumber, wild abalone, and Dokdo shrimp using Onnuri gift certificates. Cheong Wa Dae said he tasted shrimp offered by a merchant, posed for photos, and dined with aides at a restaurant in the market while also talking with residents.
Former President Park Geun-hye will also campaign in support at a traditional market in Gijang County, Busan, on the afternoon of the 27th. She will meet market merchants and residents and ask for support for People Power Party Busan mayoral candidate Park Heong-joon, Gijang County chief candidate Jeong Myeong-si, and metropolitan and basic council candidates. Rather than giving a separate public speech, the plan is to walk through the market and make direct contact with voters. With the Busan mayoral race showing a neck-and-neck contest within the margin of error, the People Power Party expects her visit to rally conservative voters. However, there are internal concerns it could be a liability among moderates.
In the 22nd general election in 2024, the Democratic Party won only one of Busan's 18 constituencies, Buk-gap. A by-election is being held this time due to former lawmaker Chun Jae-soo, the incumbent from the district, running for Busan mayor. The Democratic Party's candidate Ha Jung-woo, whom President Lee directly recruited as an "AI control tower," and independent candidate Han Dong-hoon are locked in a race within the margin of error in various polls. The Busan mayoral race is also a dead heat between candidates Chun Jae-soo and Park Heong-joon.