Busan mayoral race tight as voters weigh change vs conservative unity

 

"For 75 years we’ve picked conservatives, but I think it may be time to change. The People Power Party doesn’t even seem sorry to the public. They say Jeon Jae-soo gets things done."

Bae, a 75-year-old taxi driver in Busan, said he plans to vote for Jeon Jae-soo of the Democratic Party in the June 3 local elections, saying he has little expectation of the conservative bloc or incumbent Mayor Park Hyung-joon of the People Power Party.

In interviews across Busanjin, Haeundae and Buk districts on April 29, many residents said they believe the city needs a change. The mood contrasted with the 66.4% support Park received four years ago. Busan also gave 51.4% support to People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo in the presidential election two years ago, but voters now described an unpredictable race.

Kim Jun-gyu, 37, who runs a private academy in Dongnae District, said Democratic Party support appears to be rising among younger voters. He said Park’s policies seem focused on Haeundae District, home to Marine City, leaving other areas feeling overlooked. "It also feels like there isn’t enough communication in carrying out policies," he said, adding that he supports Jeon because "change is needed."

Others said Busan should back Jeon to better align with the central government. Kim Jin-woo, a 37-year-old office worker who has lived in Busan since age 7, said Park’s administration "wasn’t bad" but may struggle to secure cooperation from the government. He said the next mayor should address Busan’s aging population by ensuring companies such as HMM relocate to the city without setbacks.
  Support for Park also remained strong, reflecting Busan’s long conservative tilt and his status as incumbent. Some supporters said they were satisfied with city administration over the past five years, while voicing sharp criticism of allegations that Jeon received money and valuables from the Unification Church.

Park, a 67-year-old electrical contractor in Busan, said Park Hyung-joon "did fine" during his term. She added that Jeon "should clear up" the money-and-valuables issue before seeking office. A man in his 30s living in Nam District said he hears the race is "about half and half," but added that more people than expected say they will not vote for Jeon because of "Cartier."

As the election nears, some residents said conservatives are rallying. An 80-something woman who has lived in Buk District for more than 30 years said the belief that "you should vote for the People Power Party" remains strong in Busan. She said that because the Democratic Party holds a majority in the National Assembly and is acting "recklessly," she plans to back the People Power Party for mayor. Taxi driver Kim, 70, said conservatives "need to unite," arguing that politics has become too lopsided and that voters should strengthen the opposing side.

A poll showed a similar split. In a survey commissioned by KBS Busan and conducted by Hankook Research from April 17 to 19 among 1,000 Busan residents age 18 and older, Jeon had 40% support and Park 34%, within the margin of error (95% confidence level, plus or minus 3.1 percentage points). The poll used wireless phone interviews. Details are available on the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.

Some analysts said a by-election in Buk-gu Gap, held alongside the local elections because of Jeon’s run, could influence the mayoral vote. A Buk District resident who described himself as a supporter of Han Dong-hoon, the former leader of the People Power Party, said he had not planned to vote but will go to the polls to cast a ballot for Han. "Once you take the (mayoral) ballot, you’re more likely to vote than leave it blank," he said, adding he expects that could benefit the conservative candidate.