Park Min-sik and Han Dong-hoon, running in Busan Buk-gap [Yonhap News]

On May 11th, the day after their campaign office openings, conservative opposition candidates Park Min-sik of the People Power Party and Han Dong-hoon, an independent, continued their sharp verbal exchanges in the Busan Buk-gap National Assembly by-election.

Appearing on MBC Radio, Park Min-sik criticized former lawmaker Jeong Hyeong-geun, who was appointed as Han Dong-hoon's campaign chairman, drawing attention to the controversy. "It seems the person who became the campaign chairman did not attend the office opening yesterday," Park pointed out.

He argued, "When I first started as a National Assembly member in Buk-gu, Jeong was a three-term lawmaker and serving as a supreme council member. Isn't he someone who young reformist factions identified as the first person to be expelled from our conservative party?" Park launched his offensive.

"We should not regress the political consciousness of Buk-gu residents to a crude past," he stated.

Addressing the criticism that he left Buk-gap during the 2022 National Assembly by-election, citing himself as a '20-year resident of Bundang,' Park said, "Like a true Busan man, I will not make lame excuses. I offer a hundredfold apology. I realized that even if I returned in ruin, my hometown is still a place to lean on."

Regarding former President Yoon's alleged leadership of sedition, Park asserted, "Considering the comprehensive opinions of many constitutional scholars, experts, and the general public, it is not a clear-cut 'this is sedition' 100% of the time. The trial has not even concluded, so historical evaluation requires a long-term perspective."

Conversely, Han Dong-hoon countered in an SBS Radio interview, "Yesterday's office opening made it clear. Voting for Park Min-sik is like voting for Jang Dong-hyuk. If you vote for Park Min-sik, Jang Dong-hyuk's party leadership will be extended, and conservative reconstruction will be impossible."

He criticized Park's office opening, stating, "Jang Dong-hyuk's party faction members came and staged a show of force. They didn't seem to be there to defeat the Democratic Party of Korea; they seemed to be there to stop me."

Targeting Park, Han said, "He is someone who spat on Busan Buk-gap and left. He's a person who said he would absolutely not return to Busan."

When asked about the possibility of a joint candidacy, Han replied, "There is nothing that is absolutely impossible in this world. A person who says 'it's absolutely impossible' has fear in their heart, thinking, 'What if that happens?' It is a time to prioritize the public's desire."

Political circles interpreted this as Han Dong-hoon, who had previously not clearly stated his position on a joint candidacy, making a progressive statement that leaves the possibility open.

Meanwhile, Han Dong-hoon refuted claims circulating on some online communities that he reacted insensitively when a camera reporter fell during his press conference on May 9th. He stated he would take legal action against those spreading false information.

Han's side stated in a press release, "False information is being spread that candidate Han ignored the situation when a broadcast camera reporter fell at the press conference. Candidate Han did not realize the reporter had fallen and proceeded with the conference after confirming with the moderator that the reporter was 'okay'."

They added, "We plan to take strong legal action against the malicious spread of false information, including the offense of disseminating false information under the Public Official Election Act."