AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Jung Yeon-woo
  • Ace Bed Releases Omniscient Sleep View Video With Science-Based Sleep Tips
    Ace Bed Releases 'Omniscient Sleep View' Video With Science-Based Sleep Tips Ace Bed has released a street-interview video series, 'Omniscient Sleep View,' on its YouTube channel in collaboration with science communicator Orbit, aiming to offer practical, science-based advice to South Korean office workers struggling with sleep deprivation. The company said on the 6th that the content meets people on the street to hear their sleep concerns and suggest solutions. It focuses on office workers who feel a slump around 2 p.m. and on the everyday experiences of the MZ generation, capturing public reactions and on-the-spot conversations. Orbit appears as “Director Gwe,” head of a sleep science lab in Ace Bed’s TV commercial universe, 'ACE in the Strange Land of Science.' In the video, he meets office workers at Yeouido Park to analyze why they feel drowsy after lunch and to share tips for better sleep. At the Gyeongui Line Forest Park in Yeonnam-dong, he offers tailored guidance to young adults whose sleep patterns vary with different lifestyles. To keep the pace lively, the series includes a “Beat Director Gwe” game with passersby, a sleep-myth “this-or-that/OX” quiz, and a “five words, 30 seconds” segment designed to deliver key points quickly. During location changes, the video also introduces Ace Bed’s mobile “Sleep Engineering Research Lab” vehicle, presenting a service that uses advanced measuring equipment to recommend a customized bed. Ace Bed said its partnership with Orbit began in April 2024 on Orbit’s science YouTube channel, 'Unlikely Science.' The company later named him a brand model and released the August 2024 TV commercial 'The Sleep Formula Everyone Knows: Bed = Science,' followed by the March 2025 digital campaign ad 'The Law of Conservation of Good Sleep.' According to OECD statistics, South Koreans sleep about 6 hours and 30 minutes a day on average, placing them near the bottom among OECD member countries. The OECD average is 8 hours and 22 minutes. An Ace Bed official said the company planned the content to extend the sleep science it has explored with Orbit into everyday life and to share concerns many people can relate to. The official said the company hopes the mix of expertise and entertainment will help it connect more closely with customers.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-06 16:42:17
  • Korea’s Sleep Industry Booms as Bed Market Splits Between Premium and Budget
    Korea’s Sleep Industry Booms as Bed Market Splits Between Premium and Budget As inflation persists, more consumers are spending on better sleep, expanding South Korea’s sleep industry. In the bed market, demand is increasingly splitting between ultra-premium products and mid- to low-priced options, a widening polarization trend. The Korea Sleep Industry Association said May 3 that the domestic sleep market grew sharply from about 480 billion won in 2011 to 3 trillion won in 2021 and about 5 trillion won last year. The mattress market, valued at 1.2 trillion won in 2024, is projected to grow 6.7% annually to about 2.3 trillion won by 2033. As the market expands, it is being reshaped around “premium” and “mid- to low-priced” brands. Premium bed maker Simmons has reinforced its leading position with its Beautyrest Black line. Despite prices above 10 million won, monthly sales topped 500 units in March. It was the first time since the line’s 2016 launch that monthly sales exceeded 500. The company said the results reflect a growing focus on sleep quality, along with the product’s comfort and safety. Simmons said it increased research and development spending to about 1.5 billion won last year, up 21% from the previous year, and raised labor costs by 10% as it sought to strengthen competitiveness. Swedish luxury brand Hastens is also stepping up its push into the ultra-high-end segment, expanding and renovating its Apgujeong Galleria store into a “sleep showroom,” even as its top products are priced in the 1 billion won range. The mid- to low-priced market, typically 1 million to 3 million won, is also shifting. Coway has gained traction among single-person households by promoting rental plans that reduce upfront costs and offering regular care services. Sealy and Best Sleep are expanding share with hybrid product lines and customized sleep solutions. Sealy plans to strengthen supply capacity with the completion of an integrated production base in Yeoju in the second half of this year. As these brands advance, Ace Bed, a long-time market leader, has struggled. Its revenue last year fell 2.7% from a year earlier, with bed-segment revenue down more than 6%. Industry officials said prolonged external uncertainty is expected, and that the market’s polarization is becoming a broader survival strategy rather than a passing consumer trend. “Consumers increasingly see sleep as an investment in health, and needs are clearly splitting by purchasing power,” an industry official said. “The mid-priced segment is gradually disappearing, and the structure will deepen, with premium dominated by Simmons and overseas brands and mid- to low-priced led by Coway and Sealy.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-04 06:05:59
  • SME Tech Theft Hotline Gets 20 Complaints in First Month, Ministry Says
    SME Tech Theft Hotline Gets 20 Complaints in First Month, Ministry Says The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said Saturday it has received 20 reports of technology-related disputes about a month after launching a hotline aimed at stamping out technology theft from small businesses. The “SME Technology Theft Eradication Hotline” officially launched April 26 as the first joint project of an interagency task force. When small firms file a report through the hotline, legal experts provide consultations to help craft a response strategy and connect the company to the agency best suited to the type of dispute. Of the 20 reports, eight have been forwarded to investigative authorities, nine are under expert consultation and interagency review, and three were withdrawn or rejected because they did not qualify as technology theft. The ministry said it is considering adding staff for the hotline at the ministry and the Large and Small Business and Agriculture and Fisheries Cooperation Foundation to speed processing. Over the past two years, the ministry received 20 complaints in 2024 and 16 in 2025 seeking administrative investigations into technology infringement. The ministry said compensation has been difficult because evidence is hard to secure and lawsuits can be lengthy and costly. The ministry said it is working with related agencies on measures to strengthen proof of harm, including a Korean-style discovery system, new authority to order submission of materials, evidence-building based on administrative investigations and tougher penalties. It said the Korean-style discovery system cleared the National Assembly in January, but some have said practical infrastructure must be built for it to take effect. SMEs and Startups Minister Han Seong-sook said the hotline was created so very small firms harmed by technology theft can report cases easily and receive free help from legal experts. “We will strengthen cooperation with the interagency task force and related ministries and expand the budget for technology protection to meet the high expectations and interest in the field,” Han said. Separately, the ministry said there were 299 technology infringement cases as of 2024, with average losses of 1.82 billion won per affected company. The National Police Agency said it arrested about 380 people in 179 cases last year related to technology leakage crimes.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-03 18:11:58
  • Survey: 82.2% of South Korean women-owned firms say Middle East crisis is hurting business
    Survey: 82.2% of South Korean women-owned firms say Middle East crisis is hurting business As fallout from the Middle East crisis spreads across South Korea’s small-business sector, a new survey found that more than 8 in 10 women-owned companies say their operations are already being hit. Many reported a double squeeze from higher input costs and weaker domestic consumption. According to a survey released Thursday by the Women’s Economic Research Institute under the Women’s Enterprise Comprehensive Support Center, 82.2% of women-owned firms said their business activities are currently being affected. Including those expecting an impact (12.3%), 94.5% said they are feeling risks tied to the Middle East situation. Among firms reporting an impact, 97.2% said the severity was “moderate or higher,” underscoring heightened concern in the field. On the cost and supply side, the most-cited factor was rising raw material prices (49.4%), followed by raw material supply disruptions (12.7%) and higher oil prices (11.8%). On the market and demand side, firms pointed to weaker domestic demand due to subdued consumer sentiment (30.1%) and fewer or canceled orders from clients (28.5%). Profitability indicators also worsened, with 89.5% of women-owned firms expecting sales to decline. For direct support, respondents most often requested emergency management stabilization funds (45.3%) and broader financial support (42.6%). For indirect support, they sought help easing difficulties related to laws, institutions and regulations (38.9%) and consulting on business strategy and crisis response (38.5%). Separately, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises reporting damage linked to the Middle East war has been rising weekly. As of April 29, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups said it had received 733 reports. Of those, 547 were classified as “damage and difficulties,” up 51 from the previous week; 116 were “concerns,” up 3; and 70 were “not applicable,” up 2. Park Chang-sook, chair of the Women’s Enterprise Comprehensive Support Center, said the survey shows how external risks tied to the Middle East are destabilizing the business environment for women-owned firms. She urged the government to move quickly with emergency stabilization funding and easing of financial regulations to build an effective safety net.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 16:51:21
  • KOSME Chair Kang Seok-jin Visits Cheonan SMEs for Fifth On-Site Meeting This Year
    KOSME Chair Kang Seok-jin Visits Cheonan SMEs for Fifth On-Site Meeting This Year The Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) said Tuesday it held an on-site meeting, billed as “KOSME that visits and solves problems,” at the Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, facility of KMF. KOSME said the session marked the fifth such visit this year by Chairman Kang Seok-jin. Since January, Kang has visited the Gwangju Regional Headquarters, the Western Gyeongnam Branch, the Overseas Expansion Division and the Seoul Western Branch, holding talks with companies in areas including the Gwangju High-Tech National Industrial Complex, domestic shipbuilding, exports and future industries such as artificial intelligence. The Cheonan meeting was organized to support small and midsize companies preparing for risks tied to the Middle East war and for artificial intelligence transformation (AX). Attendees included Kang; Lee Jeong-gu, head of the South Chungcheong “Strongly Studying Businesspeople Association”; and representatives from eight member companies. Participants shared concerns including difficulties related to exports to the Middle East and discussed possible responses. They cited rising logistics costs, sharp increases in raw material prices, growing uncertainty in exports, labor shortages and the burden of adopting AI transformation. One company official said delays in exports to the Middle East had led to a steep drop in sales and higher shipping costs, creating what the official described as a severe management crisis and an urgent need for government support. Another official said companies agree on the need for AI transformation but are struggling to adopt it because of upfront investment costs and a lack of specialized workers. KOSME said it will strengthen follow-up support tailored to on-the-ground needs, including policy financing and export vouchers, measures to ease logistics-cost burdens and assistance in responding to export contracts, to help companies overcome the crisis and advance digital transformation. Kang said small and midsize companies are facing heavier management burdens amid an uncertain trade environment, including the Middle East situation, and the accelerating pace of AI transformation. “Based on what we hear in the field, we will prepare practical support measures and take the lead in resolving business difficulties through ‘KOSME that visits and solves problems,’” he said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 15:09:18
  • Shinjo Logitec CEO Kwon Soon-wook Eyes Global Growth in Specialized Logistics
    Shinjo Logitec CEO Kwon Soon-wook Eyes Global Growth in Specialized Logistics "I’m confident we can take full responsibility for logistics transport that others can’t do — and that everyone will be satisfied with," Kwon Soon-wook said. Kwon made the remarks April 24 at Shinjo Logitec’s headquarters in Busan. Founded in 1998, the company has built 27 years of expertise in specialized cargo logistics and is combining ultra-heavy transport capability with digital technology to expand in global markets. Its track record includes work on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER. After being selected in 2015 as an official logistics provider for the ITER construction project, Shinjo Logitec transported ultra-precision fusion equipment — with a tolerance of 0.001 millimeter and weighing up to 600 tons — to the site in France, the company said. It said a government agency awarded it a letter of appreciation last year in recognition of that work. More recently, Shinjo Logitec said it successfully transported 478 metric tons of oversized equipment for a major South Korean company. It reported revenue of 44.2 billion won as of 2025 and said it has set a revenue target of 70 billion won for this year. Kwon said the company’s next push centers on digital transformation and advanced technology. He pointed to “1BOX.Click,” a container loading optimization program that systematizes Shinjo Logitec’s container loading plan, or CLP, know-how using AI algorithms. The program automatically calculates site constraints and route-by-route freight rate ratios to produce an optimal loading plan, the company said. It said it plans to expand the tool into a smart logistics platform with real-time recalculation on tablets and links to augmented reality. Shinjo Logitec said the system can cut logistics costs by at least 5 million won per shipment. A company official said the approach goes beyond filling space, adjusting placement by precisely calculating a cargo’s center of gravity. The official said that know-how helps maximize transport safety. The company said it will begin a demonstration test of a dehumidifying container by the end of May to address corrosion issues. It also said it plans to break ground on a specialized logistics plant in Gwangyang in the second half of 2026. Kwon said Shinjo Logitec’s core strength is a “one-stop turnkey solution” that covers everything from route-optimization simulations to unloading and final placement. He said the company will continue investing in research and development and upgrading digital technology to become an innovation-driven leader in global logistics.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 13:48:39
  • SEMAS Wins Top Grade in 2025 Public Agency Shared Growth Evaluation
    SEMAS Wins Top Grade in 2025 Public Agency Shared Growth Evaluation The Small Enterprise and Market Service said on April 28 it received the highest rating, “Top,” in the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ 2025 public agency shared growth evaluation. It was the first time SEMAS earned the top grade in the assessment. Over the past five years, its results were: 2020 (Needs Improvement), 2021 (Average), 2022 (Good), 2023 (Excellent) and 2024 (Excellent). The evaluation reflects public agencies’ shared-growth performance and surveys of how partner small and midsize companies perceive cooperation. Results are divided into five grades: Top, Excellent, Good, Average and Needs Improvement. SEMAS said the rating recognized its sustained, agencywide efforts to grow alongside small businesses and small merchants. SEMAS received strong marks for pushing institutional changes to make job placement links for closed businesses and career-transition incentive payments tax-exempt, expanding purchases of products made by small and midsize firms to boost public procurement, and diversifying shared sales channels for partner companies. The agency also said it identified shared-growth tasks tied to its core programs and expanded cooperation initiatives that partner firms and local communities can feel, while working to meet public agencies’ social responsibilities. SEMAS Chairman In Tae-yeon said, “Earning the top grade reflects the combined efforts of all employees to support the sustainable growth of small and midsize companies and small merchants.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 14:21:16
  • Korea Venture Investment CEO Lee Dae-hee Pledges Bigger Role for Fund of Funds, More Private Capital
    Korea Venture Investment CEO Lee Dae-hee Pledges Bigger Role for Fund of Funds, More Private Capital "Korea Venture Investment will continue to support the growth of ventures and startups as a single investment platform," CEO Lee Dae-hee said on the 28th. Speaking at a briefing to mark one year in the job, Lee reviewed the past year and outlined operating strategy and a longer-term vision for the government-backed fund of funds, known as the Motae Fund. He said the organization will expand its role beyond serving contributing institutions, aiming to connect capital with markets and link regions with global opportunities, building on the fund’s 20-year track record. Lee said he moved quickly to address what he had highlighted upon taking office: the issue of the Motae Fund’s duration. Launched in 2005, the fund of funds has been formed at a cumulative 43.9 trillion won over 20 years, and a law revision passed by the National Assembly last year made it possible to extend the fund in 10-year increments. "It must play a practical role in supporting the growth of ventures and startups, beyond supplying money to the venture investment market," he said. Lee said the centerpiece of the strategy is expanding private investment. To raise the share of private pensions and overseas capital, he proposed upgrading the framework for an "LP (limited partner) growth fund." He said the goal is a virtuous cycle in which private capital becomes a core driver of the venture market. Korea Venture Investment has also set up incentive structures to encourage industrial capital, including large companies, to participate in the venture market, widening channels for private money. It has regularized a policy forum for the Motae Fund and, through a venture investment research center, strengthened the management of market indicators and related data to better explain policy to the National Assembly and the government. Based on those efforts, it committed 2.2195 trillion won last year, helping form venture funds totaling 4.4751 trillion won, and a total of 3.0995 trillion won was invested, the company said. As of February, the number of global funds had expanded to 84. The company said it is also broadening the foundation for Korean ventures and startups to expand overseas through efforts including the Jeju Startup Fund, formed with Korean and Japanese contributors including overseas Koreans, and the opening of a Silicon Valley Startup Venture Campus (SVC). On regional investment, it said it formed four regional parent funds totaling 400 billion won in 2025. For 2026, it plans five regional growth funds totaling 450 billion won, as it accelerates efforts to expand investment outside the Seoul metropolitan area. "If the past year was a time to set the direction, the next year will be a time to prove that direction with real results," Lee said. "Korea Venture Investment will strengthen its role as a venture investment platform that connects capital, connects markets, and connects regions with the world."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 13:45:19
  • Ha Jeong-woo Offers to Resign as Presidential AI Secretary, Eyes Busan Buk-gu Gap By-Election
    Ha Jeong-woo Offers to Resign as Presidential AI Secretary, Eyes Busan Buk-gu Gap By-Election Ha Jeong-woo Offers to Resign as Presidential AI Secretary, Eyes Busan Buk-gu Gap Run Ha Jeong-woo, the presidential senior secretary for AI future planning, answers a question from President Lee Jae-myung during a briefing by public institutions and related agencies held April 17 at the state guesthouse in Cheong Wa Dae. Ha Jeong-woo signals resignation as presidential AI secretary; expected to run in Busan Buk-gu Gap Ha Jeong-woo, a key aide to President Lee Jae-myung and the presidential senior secretary for artificial intelligence (AI) future planning, offered to resign on Sunday, according to political circles. He is expected to step up preparations to run in the June 3 parliamentary by-election ahead of the May 4 deadline for public officials to resign in order to run for office. He is expected to submit his resignation later Sunday and to formally announce his bid on Monday for the by-election in Busan’s Buk-gu Gap district. The seat became vacant after Rep. Jeon Jae-soo launched a run for mayor of Busan. Park Min-sik, a former minister of patriots and veterans affairs, and Han Dong-hoon, a former leader of the People Power Party, have declared their candidacies. The Democratic Party plans to hold a talent recruitment event around Tuesday and make a strategic nomination through that process． Prosecutors Seek 20 Years for Park Sung-jae in Insurrection Case; Verdict Set for June 9 Prosecutors on Sunday sought a 20-year prison term for Park Sung-jae, a former justice minister, who is on trial on charges including participating in an insurrection tied to the Dec. 3 martial law declaration and allegedly acting on a request related to an investigation involving first lady Kim Keon-hee. At a sentencing hearing in Seoul Central District Court, the special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok asked the court to impose a severe punishment, saying it was needed to warn “legal technicians” who “destroy the law in the name of the law.” Park is accused of convening a Justice Ministry executives’ meeting after martial law was declared on Dec. 3, 2024, and of directing steps including reviewing the dispatch of prosecutors to a joint investigation headquarters, checking prison capacity and ordering staff responsible for travel bans to report to work, as part of what prosecutors describe as sequential participation in former President Yoon’s insurrection crimes. He is also accused of giving improper instructions to a subordinate after receiving a request from Kim in May last year to look into how a dedicated investigative team was formed at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office for a case involving the alleged receipt of a luxury bag. The court is set to deliver its first-instance verdict on June 9. Japan Holds First Expert Meeting on Revising Three Key Security Documents Japan’s government held the first meeting Sunday of an expert panel formed to revise three major national security documents, Kyodo News and other outlets reported. Yonhap reported the panel, titled “Expert Meeting to Think About Security Through Comprehensive National Power,” includes 15 members such as former U.S. ambassador Kenichiro Sasae, former vice defense minister Tetsuro Kuroe, University of Tokyo professor Kazuto Suzuki and Waseda University researcher Noriko Endo. The meeting was held Sunday evening at the prime minister’s office. The panel follows Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s statement in October last year that Japan would revise this year the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy and Defense Buildup Program. Takaichi said at the meeting that the relatively stable international order since the Cold War “has become a thing of the past,” and called for Japan to “independently push forward a fundamental strengthening of defense capabilities.” Labor Panel Says Cargo Truckers Union Also Has Bargaining Rights A labor relations commission ruled that the Cargo Truckers Solidarity division, which received bargaining authority from the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union, is also a bargaining counterpart in cases involving CJ Logistics and Hanjin, according to Yonhap. The Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission on Sunday accepted a request to correct a notice related to objections filed over the confirmation of the union seeking bargaining rights for CJ Logistics and Hanjin, Yonhap reported. The decision could affect the BGF case, where disputes have continued, including over a union member’s death, observers said. A Labor Ministry official said the situations should be viewed separately, noting that while the bargaining request came through the Cargo Truckers Solidarity in broad terms, “this case came in through the procedures,” while the BGF case involves demands for collective bargaining outside the labor commission process. Man in His 50s Tries to Set Himself on Fire Outside Democratic Party HQ; Police Stop Him A man who tried to set himself on fire outside the Democratic Party’s headquarters in Seoul was stopped by police and taken to a hospital, Yonhap reported Sunday. The man, identified only as A, poured oil on himself and attempted self-immolation at about 4:22 p.m. outside the party’s central office in Yeouido, Yonhap said. Police intervened and confirmed that his body did not catch fire. He told authorities he went to the headquarters to appeal for help resolving a grudge with an acquaintance, and he was not believed to have a specific political motive. He was transported to a hospital under procedures for handling suicide attempts. Nikkei: Samsung Electronics to Exit China Home Appliance, TV Sales This Year Samsung Electronics will withdraw from its home appliance and TV sales business in China within the year, Japan’s Nikkei reported Sunday. Yonhap reported the company may finalize a decision as early as this month to halt the business, then explain the move to business partners and local employees and gradually dispose of inventory, fully ending sales within the year. Samsung plans to maintain its local production system for products such as refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners, using it as a supply base for nearby countries, the report said. Nikkei quoted Samsung as saying, “Nothing has been decided.” Prosecutors Dismiss Complaint Against President Lee Over Gas Corp. Land Allegations After 3 Years Prosecutors have closed, without indictment, a case in which President Lee Jae-myung was accused of granting improper development benefits related to land owned by the Korea Gas Corp. in Jeongja-dong, Seongnam, after three years, Yonhap reported Sunday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office’s Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 dismissed the case on April 17, Yonhap said, rejecting allegations of abuse of authority and dereliction of duty. The allegations were raised during the 20th presidential election along with claims tied to the Daejang-dong and Baekhyeon-dong development projects. Prosecutors concluded the complaint was speculative and lacked sufficient specific grounds or circumstances to open an investigation, and dismissed the case after three years. Appeal Trial Begins for Yoon Suk Yeol on Insurrection Ringleader Charge; Constitutional Dispute Raised An appeals trial for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of being the ringleader of an insurrection related to the Dec. 3 martial law declaration began Sunday. The Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 12-1 held the first pretrial hearing. Trials also began for seven senior military and police officials indicted with Yoon, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and former National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho. Defendants are not required to appear at pretrial hearings. Yoon did not attend. Among the defendants, only Yoon Seung-young, former planning and coordination chief at the National Police Agency’s National Investigation Headquarters, and Mok Hyun-tae, former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s National Assembly security unit, appeared in court. The court said it will hold a second pretrial hearing on May 7 to detail the order and method of evidence examination. Cloudy Nationwide With Rain; Wildfire Caution Tuesday is expected to be mostly cloudy nationwide. Rain is forecast at times through early morning in the Chungcheong region, through the afternoon in the Seoul metropolitan area, and through the evening in Gangwon Province, excluding the southern East Sea coast. Expected rainfall totals are 5 to 10 millimeters in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province; around 5 millimeters in the five West Sea islands; 5 to 20 millimeters in Gangwon inland and mountainous areas; and less than 5 millimeters in Gangwon’s central and northern East Sea coast and in Daejeon, Sejong, South Chungcheong and North Chungcheong provinces. Authorities urged caution for wildfires and other fires as conditions will be very dry, especially in central regions and North Gyeongsang Province. Morning lows are forecast at 9 to 14 Celsius, with daytime highs of 14 to 24 Celsius.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 21:48:23
  • Ha Jung-woo to resign as presidential AI aide, expected to run in Busan Buk-gu A by-election
    Ha Jung-woo to resign as presidential AI aide, expected to run in Busan Buk-gu A by-election Lee Jae-myung’s key aide Ha Jung-woo, the presidential senior secretary for artificial intelligence and future planning, offered to resign on Sunday, according to political sources. Ha is expected to step up preparations to run in the June 3 parliamentary by-election, with the May 4 deadline for public officials to resign one week away, the sources said. He is expected to submit his resignation later Sunday and formally announce his candidacy Monday in the Busan Buk-gu A by-election. The seat became vacant after Rep. Jeon Jae-soo entered the Busan mayoral race. Former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-sik and former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon have already declared their bids. The Democratic Party plans to hold a talent recruitment event around Tuesday and make strategic nominations through that process, the sources said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 21:45:18