Jeon Jae-soo: "Will Lead the Era of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in Busan"... Speculation Mounts Over Mayoral Bid

Highlights Achievements on Social Media
"Most Competitive Ruling Party Candidate... Candidacy Announcement Expected Around Lunar New Year"

Jeon Jae-soo, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea who had refrained from public activities after stepping down as Minister of Oceans and Fisheries due to allegations of receiving money and valuables from the Unification Church, has once again hinted at a return to politics through social media.

Yonhap News Agency

On January 24, Assemblyman Jeon posted an article on Facebook titled, "The Era of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in Busan: Now Busan Must Lead."

He stated, "Although my tenure as Minister of Oceans and Fisheries was brief, I worked intensively and achieved meaningful results," adding, "On the foundation of the 150-year history of Busan Port and the 30-year history of the Ministry, I declared the inaugural year for securing the Arctic shipping route and relocated the Ministry to Busan. This is the first such move in the history of the Korean government," he emphasized.

He continued, "Through the enactment of the Special Act on Busan as the Maritime Capital, Busan secured its legal status as the 'maritime capital,' making it clear that it is the only maritime capital in Korea," and added, "This was possible thanks to the dedication of the Ministry staff who supported an inexperienced minister."

Assemblyman Jeon listed achievements during his tenure, including the establishment of the Arctic Shipping Route Promotion Headquarters-a pan-government body for the Arctic shipping route-and the relocation of major shipping company headquarters to Busan, reiterating his vision for 'Maritime Capital Busan.'

He also outlined future tasks, such as the additional relocation of public institutions under the Ministry, the establishment of the Southeast Investment Corporation, the creation of a maritime specialized court, and attracting the headquarters of major shipping companies, including HMM, to Busan.

He declared, "I will become the strongest supporter of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and do my utmost to ensure that Busan plays a leading role in the era of the Arctic shipping route," adding, "I will continue to work tirelessly for the era of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in Busan."

Political circles in Busan are paying attention to the fact that Assemblyman Jeon has once again publicly stated his intention to work for Busan, following a similar message on January 15. This has led to speculation that his announcement to run for mayor of Busan is imminent.

A Democratic Party official in Busan commented, "Assemblyman Jeon is the most competitive figure in the Democratic Party's strategy to reclaim Busan," adding, "There is strong demand both inside and outside the party for him to run for mayor, and it is highly likely that he will announce his candidacy around the Lunar New Year holiday."