Busan District Mayoral Races See Series of Potential Candidates Unaffiliated with Political Establishment

With the nationwide local elections scheduled for June 3 now about five months away, new faces are being discussed as potential candidates for district mayoral races in the Busan region.

As individuals who are not incumbent district mayors explore the possibility of running, the electoral landscape is gradually taking shape. In particular, candidates without previous experience as local or metropolitan council members or aides in the political sphere are drawing attention by highlighting their own areas of expertise.

Especially at a time when a scandal involving "nomination bribes" is rapidly spreading, there is growing interest in fresh candidates who are untainted by political corruption as the election approaches.

In Busan, ahead of this local election, three individuals without political experience are currently being mentioned as potential candidates in the district mayoral races for Dongnae-gu, Seo-gu, and Haeundae-gu.

For the Dongnae-gu mayoral race, Jaehan Bae, former president of The International Newspaper, is reportedly preparing to run as a candidate for the People Power Party.

Jaehan Bae, former president of The International Newspaper.

Bae's intention to run has been conveyed mainly through local political circles and election-related communities, although he has not yet made an official announcement. It is expected that he will further develop his policy platform in line with the party nomination schedule and the timing of his official candidacy declaration.

Bae stated, "I want to play a role in helping Dongnae, the root of Busan, regain its vitality," and added, "I would like to contemplate the future of Dongnae as the local environment continues to change."

Bae, who graduated from Dongnae High School and the National Pukyong University (formerly Busan National Fisheries University), worked as a reporter and later served as president of The International Newspaper. He also held a position as a special professor at Dong-A University and is currently serving as the director of the Busan Transportation Culture Training Institute.

For the Seo-gu mayoral race, Jung Hwang, Director of the Busan Old Downtown Policy Research Institute, is being mentioned as a potential candidate.

Jung Hwang, Director of Busan Old Downtown Policy Research Institute.

Hwang, who has a background as a pharmacist, is reportedly being encouraged to run both inside and outside the Democratic Party. He is considered a relatively new figure in the Seo-gu area, and it is expected that his campaign will gain momentum following an official candidacy declaration and policy announcement.

Hwang is known to be interested in local health and welfare issues, drawing on his experience running a pharmacy and participating in pharmacist associations. He has not yet made an official announcement of his candidacy.

Hwang, a graduate of Busan Girls' High School and the College of Pharmacy at Pusan National University, has participated in activities with the Korean Pharmaceutical Association and the Busan City Herbal Medicine Policy Committee. He is currently about to graduate from the Graduate School of Medical Science at Kosin University.

For the Haeundae-gu mayoral race, Kwanghoe Kim, former Deputy Mayor for Future Innovation of Busan Metropolitan City, is said to have firmly decided to run.

Kwanghoe Kim, Former Deputy Mayor for Future Innovation of Busan Metropolitan City.

Kim is expected to compete for the People Power Party nomination. Until recently, he served as Deputy Mayor for Future Innovation of Busan Metropolitan City, and since passing the local civil service exam in 1996, he has worked as a public official in Busan, gaining experience in planning, finance, culture, sports, urban regeneration, balanced development, and the economy-covering the full spectrum of municipal administration.

Recently, Kim established a local office in U-dong, Haeundae-gu, and has been engaging in discussions on local issues through the founding of a Future City Research Institute.

Kim stated, "Based on my administrative experience in Busan, I will carefully consider the current issues and future development directions for Haeundae." Kim graduated from Haeundae High School and Pusan National University, and holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Illinois in the United States.

With individuals from outside the political establishment being mentioned one after another as potential candidates for district mayoral races ahead of this local election, it appears that voters in each region will have a broader range of choices. As the outcomes of party nominations, official candidacy declarations, and policy competition become more concrete, the landscape of Busan's district mayoral elections is expected to take clearer shape.