Han Dong-hoon clinches assembly seat in Busan

Independent candidate Han Dong-hoon, the former leader of the main opposition People Power Party, clinched a National Assembly seat in a Wednesday by-election, taking Busan’s Buk-A district.

With 99.51 percent of ballots counted, 43 percent went to Han, narrowly ahead of Ha Jung-woo who got 41.2 percent. Ha is a former senior secretary to President Lee Jae Myung for artificial intelligence who quit his post to run in the by-election. Exit polls had indicated that Ha had a narrow lead over Han.

Han was once a close ally of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, having served with him in the public prosecutors’ office. After he entered politics, however, his relationship with Yoon faltered, showing signs of open disagreement on a number of occasions.

After Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, Han openly supported the move to impeach the then-president. Han has since emerged as a prominent conservative voice calling for a clear break from the former president, and later led the drive to severe People Power Party’s ties with Yoon.

Han was expelled from the party earlier this year amid allegations that he and his family members posted internal messages critical of the party leadership and Yoon.