Jeon Jae-soo, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Busan mayor, was elected in the June 3 local elections, defeating the incumbent, People Power Party candidate Park Heong-joon. With 100% of ballots counted, Jeon received 885,608 votes, or 50.5%, ahead of Park, who had 839,667 votes, or 47.9%.
Born in 1971 in Uiryeong, South Gyeongsang Province, Jeon moved with his family to Mandeok-dong, Buk-gu, Busan, at age 8 and grew up there. He graduated from Mandeok Elementary School, Deokcheon Middle School, and Gudeok High School, and went on to Dongguk University.
He served in the Blue House under the Roh Moo-hyun administration as deputy secretary to the first lady in the second secretariat and as an administrator in the Office of National Situations. In 2006, he ran for Buk-gu district chief in Busan as a candidate of the Uri Party but was defeated. He ran in the 2008 and 2012 National Assembly elections in Busan Buk-gu–Gangseo-gu Gap, but lost to candidate Park Min-sik.
In the 2016 20th National Assembly election, he made a fresh bid as a Democratic Party of Korea candidate and entered the National Assembly. In the 2020 21st general election, he faced Park Min-sik for the fourth time and won after a close race to secure a second term. He was also elected in the 2024 22nd general election, becoming a three-term lawmaker. He also came to hold the symbolism of being the only Democratic Party lawmaker in the Busan region.
He was tapped as the inaugural Minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries under the Lee Jae-myung administration and pushed for the transfer of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) to Busan, then resigned as Minister, saying he would clarify allegations of accepting money from the Unification Church. The case resulted in a no-charge disposition.
Jeon's campaign cited "meeting each and every citizen with genuine sincerity" as the driver of the election victory.