On the 17th, the People Power Party's candidate management committee announced that the selection of the Busan mayoral candidate will be conducted through primaries. This decision came after some party members expressed significant opposition to the initial notion of excluding the incumbent mayor, Park Hyung-jun, from the primaries. Lee Jong-hyun, the head of the committee, acknowledged the backlash and stated that the final decision to proceed with a primary was made after considering various opinions and the local circumstances.

The initial discussion involved the committee's proposal to cut off the current mayor Park Hyung-jun and nominate first-term lawmaker Yu Jin-woo from the pro-Yoon Seok-yeol faction directly. This proposal sparked intense opposition from certain committee members, including Secretary General Jeong Hee-yong and local representatives Kwon Gyu-taek and Seo Ji-young, who dramatically left the meeting in protest. Local lawmakers also emphasized the necessity of holding a primary when they met with party leader Jang Dong-hyeok that same day, reflecting the urgency and contentiousness surrounding the nomination process.

This situation highlights the internal divisions within the People Power Party and the significance of local governance in South Korea. The decision to conduct a primary indicates the party's attempt to unify its factions and engage its members in the selection process, which may influence their performance in the upcoming elections. As the Busan mayoral election approaches, the political landscape could shift, reflecting the power dynamics and relationships within the party as well as with the public.