Ex-PPP leader Han Dong-hoon poised to enter parliament after winning Busan by-election

"Wait for me. I will definitely come back."

With these words, Han Dong-hoon, who was expelled from the People Power Party (PPP) and ran as an independent in the Busan Buk-gap National Assembly by-election, is expected to enter the National Assembly as a first-term lawmaker after the vote count on the 4th.

This marks a dramatic comeback, overcoming the biggest crisis of his political career – expulsion from his party – through his own efforts and growing his stature.

In contrast, his former party, the PPP, which expelled him, is facing a difficult assessment of a crushing defeat in this election, making Han Dong-hoon's victory even more noteworthy.

Han Dong-hoon, who succeeded in reclaiming the sole National Assembly seat in Busan that was lost to the Democratic Party in the last general election, is expected to be recognized as a leading contender for the next conservative leadership.

◇ Overcoming 'Expulsion from PPP' Crisis to Win 'Golden Badge' in 2.5 Years Since Entering Politics

According to the Central Election Commission, as of 2:00 AM on the 4th, with 99.51% of the votes counted, Han Dong-hoon leads the Busan Buk-gap by-election with 42.99% of the vote, ahead of Democratic Party candidate Ha Jeong-woo (41.24%) and PPP candidate Park Min-sik (15.76%).

Han Dong-hoon, originally from Seoul, found his footing in Busan Buk-gap in a dramatic fashion.

Han Dong-hoon, who served as the first Minister of Justice under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, entered politics in December 2023 when he was appointed interim leader of the PPP.

He was brought in as a 'savior' ahead of the general election in April of the following year, but the PPP suffered a crushing defeat, winning only 108 seats, and he stepped down as interim leader.

However, he made a spectacular return three months after the general election defeat, being elected party leader in the National Convention with 62.8% of the vote.

While clashing with former President Yoon Suk-yeol on key issues, Han Dong-hoon resigned again as party leader in December 2024, taking responsibility as the ruling party leader amidst a political crisis involving the former president's declaration of martial law and impeachment proceedings.

He later participated in the PPP's presidential primary during the early presidential election phase but lost to former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo. Furthermore, on January 29th of this year, he faced his greatest crisis when he was expelled from the party under the Jang Dong-hyuk leadership due to the so-called 'party member bulletin board' incident.

Although there were predictions that he might run in a by-election in Daegu, the 'heart of conservatism,' if a vacancy arose due to a senior Daegu lawmaker running for mayor, Han Dong-hoon chose Busan Buk-gap and jumped into the election race, effectively declaring his candidacy before the by-election was confirmed.

◇ 'Rejoining the Party' Becomes Major Issue... Pro-Han Faction Says 'Matter of Time' vs. Leadership Faction Says 'Absolutely Impossible'

Han Dong-hoon, who was expelled under the Jang Dong-hyuk leadership, has expressed his desire to rejoin the party multiple times and is expected to attempt a return to the party in the future. This process is expected to inevitably lead to clashes between the leadership faction, which insists on Han's non-return, and the pro-Han faction and younger lawmakers who support his return.

A pro-Han lawmaker stated in a phone call, "Despite the fact that Leader Jang prevented unification and threatened disciplinary action against lawmakers who tried to help, Han Dong-hoon fought alone and proudly accepted the choice of the people. No matter how much the leadership faction tries to block it, his return to the party is only a matter of time."

A senior lawmaker from the Yeongnam region told Yonhap News, "Now that Han Dong-hoon has entered the National Assembly, we must achieve harmony. We must forget the past and fight against the tyranny of the Lee Jae-myung administration."

On the other hand, Cho Gwang-han, a supreme council member appointed by Leader Jang, stated in a YTN Radio interview the previous day, "For those who wish to protect conservatism, former leader Han has already been evaluated and is someone to be ignored. I can confidently say that his return to the party is impossible."

Choi Soo-jin, deputy floor leader, expressed skepticism on MBC Radio today, saying, "There are many variables, so it is questionable whether the conditions for his return to the party can be created."

Some suggest that if the leadership denies his return, applying for a 'preliminary injunction to suspend the effect of expulsion' remains a viable option.

Within the party, the prevailing view is that the issue of Han Dong-hoon's return to the party will be intertwined with various variables, including the survival of the Jang Dong-hyuk leadership and the outcome of the upcoming election for the next floor leader.

Han Dong-hoon is expected to focus on serving as the 'vanguard of attacks' against the Lee Jae-myung government in the National Assembly for the time being, while also targeting the Jang Dong-hyuk leadership and highlighting himself as the right person to rebuild conservatism.

Simultaneously, many observers believe that Han Dong-hoon will strive to secure lawmakers with rational centrist and reformist conservative tendencies within the PPP as his 'allies' and prepare for the next party leadership election, which will determine the nomination rights for the 2028 general election.