Chun Jae-soo
South Korean politician (born 1971)
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Chun Jae-soo (Korean: 전재수; born 1971) is a South Korean politician who has served as the mayor of Busan since 2026. A member of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), he served as a member of the National Assembly from 2016 to 2025 and as the minister of oceans and fisheries in 2025.
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Chun Jae-soo | |
|---|---|
Chun in 2026 | |
| Mayor of Busan | |
| Assumed office 1 July 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Park Heong-joon |
| Minister of Oceans and Fisheries | |
| In office 23 July 2025 – 11 December 2025 | |
| President | Lee Jae-myung |
| Preceded by | Kang Do-hyung |
| Succeeded by | Hwang Jong-woo |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 30 May 2016 – 29 April 2026 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 1971 (age 55) Uiryeong County, South Korea |
| Party | Democratic Party of Korea |
Other political affiliations | Democratic United Party |
| Education | Dongguk University |
Biography
Chun was born in April 1971 in Uiryeong County. He gained a bachelor's and master's degrees from Dongguk University.[1]
Chun was Chief Secretary of the Second Presidential Secretariat. Chun unsuccessfully attempted to be elected to the National Assembly in the 18th and 19th general elections as a member of the Democratic United Party, but was elected to the National Assembly in the 20th National Assembly as a member of the Democratic Party of Korea.[1] Chun served three terms in the National Assembly. Chun was nominated to become the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries in June 2025.[2]
Chun resigned from the ministry due to allegations regarding Chun receiving illegal payments from the Unification Church on 11 December 2025.[3] According to Yun Young-ho, the former head of the Unification Church's global headquarters, Chun was alleged to have received 20 million won and a luxury watch in 2018 and another watch and more won in 2020 in exchange for help getting approval for an undersea tunnel between South Korea and Japan.[4][5] Police questioned him for more than 14 hours.[5] A task force of prosecution and police officials refused to prosecute Chun due to a lack of evidence.[6] The task force indicted 4 of Chun's aides for destroying evidence.[7]
Chun became the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for the mayor of Busan on 9 April 2026.[8] He won the mayoral election on 4 June, defeating the People Power Party nominee and incumbent mayor Park Heong-joon.[9][10]
Election results
General elections
| Year | Elections | Constituency | Political party | Votes (%) | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 18th National Assembly General Election | Buk-Gangseo A (Busan) | UDP | 20,322 (38.57%) | Defeated |
| 2012 | 19th National Assembly General Election | Buk-Gangseo A (Busan) | DUP | 35,069 (47.60%) | Defeated |
| 2016 | 20th National Assembly General Election | Buk-Gangseo A (Busan) | Democratic | 48,887 (55.92%) | Won |
| 2020 | 21st National Assembly General Election | Buk-Gangseo A (Busan) | Democratic | 48,733 (50.58%) | Won |
| 2024 | 22nd National Assembly General Election | Buk A (Busan) | Democratic | 43,548 (52.31%) | Won |
Local elections
Mayor of Busan
| Year | Elections | Constituency | Political party | Votes (%) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 9th Iocal Election | Busan (Mayoral Elections) | Democratic | 885,608 (50.52%) | Won |
Mayor of Buk
| Year | Elections | Constituency | Political party | Votes (%) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 4th Iocal Election | Mayor of Buk | Uri | 32,917 (32.80%) | Defeated |