Independent candidate Han Dong-hoon, elected in the National Assembly by-election for Busan's Buk-A constituency, greets supporters in the district Thursday after his victory was confirmed. (Yonhap) Han Dong-hoon, who ran as an independent candidate, won the National Assembly by-election in Busan's Buk-A district on Wednesday, defeating rivals from both major parties and securing his first elected office.According to the National Election Commission, Han garnered 42.96 percent of the vote, ahead of Democratic Party of Korea candidate Ha Jung-woo with 41.26 percent and People Power Party candidate Park Min-sik with 15.76 percent.The victory marks Han's first entry into the National Assembly and strengthens his standing as a conservative figure at a time when the People Power Party remains divided over the legacy of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.A career prosecutor, Han rose to national prominence in 2022 when Yoon appointed him justice minister.He later entered party politics as interim leader of the People Power Party ahead of the 2024 general election. Although the party lost the election, Han won the party leadership in July 2024.His relationship with Yoon and the pro-Yoon faction, however, deteriorated during his tenure as party leader, showing signs of open disagreement on a number of occasions.That divide deepened after Yoon's Dec. 3, 2024, martial law declaration, which Han publicly opposed.He stepped down as party leader later that month and increasingly positioned himself as a conservative voice advocating a clear break from the former president.Earlier this year, he was expelled from the party following allegations that he and his family members posted online comments critical of Yoon and the party leadership.Although he enters the Assembly without party affiliation, the victory gives Han a parliamentary platform that could expand his influence within the conservative bloc.His election is also expected to strengthen conservatives seeking a post-Yoon realignment, while adding pressure on the current People Power Party leadership under Chair Jang Dong-hyeok, whose rise was backed largely by pro-Yoon supporters.