Democratic Party, with no lawmaker from Busan, sends its leadership there

Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok held a meeting of the Supreme Council, the party's top decision-making body, in Busan on the 16th, pledging to enshrine the spirit of the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising in the preamble of the Constitution and to support regional tasks for Busan, including developing Arctic shipping routes. It was the first visit to Busan by the Democratic Party leadership in two weeks, since the budget policy council at Busan City Hall on October 2. After being elected party leader in August, Kim held his first Supreme Council meeting in Busan and said the party would hold more Supreme Council meetings in Busan than anywhere else going forward.

Floor leader Han Byung-do emphasized, "We express deep respect to the citizens of Busan and Masan who bravely stood up against the Yushin dictatorship," adding, "We will carry on the spirit of the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising, which, along with the May 18 Democratization Movement, has sustained South Korean democracy, and do our utmost to have it included in the Constitution's preamble."

That afternoon, Kim attended the 47th anniversary ceremony of the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising alongside President Lee Jae-myung and Constitutional Court Chief Justice Kim Sang-hwan, then visited the Busan Port Authority for a roundtable on fostering the port as a hub for Arctic shipping routes. He explained, "The leaders who presented new dreams and maps have been important—President Roh Moo-hyun, who began the dream of redeveloping the North Port; President Moon Jae-in, who sought to connect Gadeok Island; President Lee Jae-myung, who linked the vision of a maritime capital; and Mayor Park Heong-joon—wait, Jeon Jae-su—who seeks to build on it with culture."

For the remainder of his two-night, three-day schedule, Kim plans to visit Jagalchi Market and the planned site of the North Port Dome Arena on the 17th, and hold a roundtable with heads of Busan's municipal and district governments at the Democratic Party's Busan chapter on the 18th.