S. Korea AI policy chief nears decision on Busan by-election run

South Korea's presidential secretary for artificial intelligence policy, Ha Jung-woo, is expected to decide this week whether to seek a National Assembly seat in Busan's Buk-A constituency, with a by-election set for June 3, the Korea Times reported Sunday.

The Buk-A race is the only National Assembly seat the ruling Democratic Party of Korea won in Busan during the 2024 general election, making Ha's potential candidacy a high-profile referendum on the Lee Jae-myung administration's AI-centered governing agenda — and a contest closely watched by Korean-American communities with ties to the region.

Ha, a computer scientist born in Busan in 1977, holds master's and doctoral degrees from Seoul National University. Before joining the presidential office, he led the AI Lab at Naver and oversaw cloud-based AI innovation programs at Samsung SDS, according to the Korea Times.

The seat opened after Rep. Chun Jae-soo resigned to run for Busan mayor. Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon is running as an independent, creating what analysts expect will be a three-way contest.

Democratic Party of Korea leader Rep. Jung Chung-rae has personally urged Ha to enter the race, calling him "the architect of Korea's push to become one of the world's top AI powers," the Korea Times reported. Jung added that Ha should "come to the Assembly and complete that work through legislation."

Ha has not committed publicly. In a recent interview he acknowledged his uncertainty, saying "my thoughts change morning and evening," according to the Korea Times. Under South Korean election law, public officials must submit their resignation by May 4 to qualify as candidates.

Opposition lawmakers have raised concerns about the presidential office playing a direct role in shaping the election, the Korea Times reported.

The June 3 by-election will be the first major electoral test for the Lee Jae-myung administration since taking office, with Busan's Buk-A seat serving as a symbolic battleground between the ruling party's technology-forward platform and opposition forces seeking to reclaim ground in South Korea's second-largest city.