Lead

South Korea's ruling Democratic Party (DP) has formally nominated two former senior presidential officials as candidates in the upcoming parliamentary by-elections scheduled for June 3. Ha Jung-woo, who served as presidential secretary for artificial intelligence policy and future planning, and Jeon Eun-soo, the former presidential spokesperson, were selected during a party recruitment ceremony on Thursday, according to Yonhap News.

Ha will contest the Buk-A constituency in Busan, a district described by Yonhap as a traditional conservative stronghold and one of the few seats the DP won in the last general elections. Jeon is set to run in the Asan constituency in South Chungcheong Province. The by-elections will fill 14 parliamentary seats and are being held alongside the quadrennial local elections, which analysts view as the first major test of public support for President Lee Jae Myung's administration, which took office in June last year.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage across Yonhap News articles consistently confirms the nominations, with reports from April 28–30 detailing Ha's resignation, his subsequent candidacy declaration, and the DP's formal nomination. Several reports emphasize the Buk-A race as a key battleground, noting the emerging three-way contest between Ha, independent candidate Hang Dong-hoon (formerly head of the main opposition People Power Party, PPP), and PPP candidate Park Min-shik, a former veterans minister.

While the factual reporting is largely uniform, one Yonhap editorial piece adopts a more critical tone, expressing concern that Ha's departure—less than a year into his role—reflects "party interests overtaking national priorities." This contrasts with the neutral wire reports that focus on the political mechanics of the nominations. The editorial's perspective is supported by the PPP's public criticism, which has accused the DP of "political collusion" in using the presidential post as a springboard for Ha's political career.

Key Claims

  • Ha Jung-woo's candidacy: According to multiple Yonhap reports, Ha declared his run for the Buk-A constituency on Wednesday, April 29, following his resignation the previous day. The DP formally nominated him on Thursday.
  • Jeon Eun-soo's nomination: The DP also nominated Jeon for the Asan constituency, per a party spokesperson's briefing reported by Yonhap.
  • Three-way race: A three-way contest is expected in Buk-A, involving Ha, independent Han Dong-hoon, and PPP candidate Park Min-shik. A Yonhap report notes that talks of a conservative merger between Han and Park have surfaced but have been largely rejected by both figures.
  • Poll numbers: A survey conducted by polling agency Media Tomato, commissioned by online outlet News Tomato, showed Ha leading with 35.5 percent in a hypothetical three-way matchup, followed by Han at 28.5 percent and Park at 26 percent. The poll surveyed 802 respondents. This poll is cited in a single Yonhap report and has not been independently verified.
  • Presidential approval: President Lee approved Ha's resignation and asked him to "work for the people and national interest," according to his office, as reported by Yonhap.

Perspectives

From the DP's viewpoint, Ha's candidacy is a strategic move to retain a key district. The party's senior spokesperson, Rep. Kang Jun-hyeon, described Ha as the best candidate to succeed the constituency formerly held by lawmaker Chun Jae-soo, noting Ha's local roots and his potential to drive AI-related legislation in the National Assembly. President Lee has nicknamed Ha "Ha-GPT," and the party views him as a rising star capable of advancing its agenda.

The PPP, by contrast, has criticized Ha's departure as creating a vacuum in the presidential office, with spokesperson Choi Bo-yun accusing the DP of "political collusion" to exploit the senior post for electoral gain. The Yonhap editorial amplifies this concern, arguing that the resignation of a key AI strategist after only 10 months—with substantial policy work unfinished—undermines the country's long-term technology ambitions, which Lee has called "a core survival strategy."

Independent candidate Han Dong-hoon and PPP candidate Park Min-shik have not publicly commented in the reviewed reports, but their expected three-way contest suggests a fragmented conservative vote that could benefit the DP. The outcome of this race will likely be a bellwether for the political climate ahead of the local elections.

This article is based on reporting from Yonhap News dated April 28–30, 2026. Poll results reflect a single survey and should be interpreted with caution.