Busan Buk-gu A by-election draws national attention as three-way race enters final stretch

The National Assembly by-election in Busan's Buk-gu A district, held alongside the June 3 local elections, has become one of the most closely watched races in the country. Polling conducted before the blackout period showed Democratic Party of Korea candidate Ha Jung-woo and independent Han Dong-hoon locked in a two-way battle at the front, with People Power Party candidate Park Min-sik in pursuit. But with the blackout now in effect, it remains unclear how far undecided and swing voters may have shifted.

Ha cast his early ballot on May 29 alongside Busan mayoral candidate Jeon Jae-soo. He is campaigning on his identity as "Buk-gu's own son" and an AI expert backed by the president, warning that Busan cannot afford to lose its only ruling-party constituency lawmaker. Yet even within the Democratic Party, anxiety over a late surge of anti-ruling-party sentiment among swing voters has kept the campaign on edge.

Park is running on the slogans "re-elected in Buk-gu A" and "a true Buk-gu man," shaking hands with 2,000 residents a day from 6 a.m. to midnight. After spending much of the race trading blows with Han, Park seized on a recent remark by former President Lee Myung-bak — who visited Busan and said "a good person fighting a bad person must win" — declaring it "a stern command from conservative supporters to defeat someone who has shaken conservative values," in a clear jab at Han.

Han has centered his campaign on "rebuilding conservatism" and largely eschewed loudspeaker rallies in favor of walking the streets and greeting residents up close. A close aide pushed back on the suggestion that Lee's reference to a "bad person" was aimed at Han, calling it "absurd" and insisting Lee meant the Democratic Party should be defeated, not that Han was a bad candidate.

With the final polls now a week old, the candidates' movements, messages and controversies during the blackout period have taken on greater weight in shaping the remaining vote. A local political figure said the race should be read as Ha's "ruling-party premium" squaring off against Han's national name recognition, with Park's appeal to conservative voters closing the gap. "Ultimately, the key will be how many swing voters turn out and which way they lean," the figure said.