# Sasang (constituency)

Sasang (Korean: 사상구) is a constituency of the National Assembly of South Korea. The constituency consists of Sasang District, Busan. As of 2024, 181,823 eligible voters were registered in the constituency. The constituency was created in 2000 after the consolidation of the Sasang A and Sasang B constituencies.

## History

Sasang, like the majority of constituencies located in the Busan–Gyeongnam Area is widely considered a stronghold for the conservative People Power Party. Accordingly, the constituency has consistently elected members of conservative political parties and allied independents, with the only exception being in 2012 when Moon Jae-in of the liberal Democratic United Party was elected.
Kwon Chul-hyun of the conservative Grand National Party was the first member to represent the constituency. He won re-election in 2004, but was "cut-off" from being re-nominated in 2008. He was succeeded by Chang Je-won, the son of former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea Chang Sŏng-man. Chang did not run for re-election in 2012 due to a bribery scandal, and the Saenuri Party nominated Son Su-jo as the party's candidate for Sasang. Moon Jae-in of the liberal Democratic United Party defeated Son in the general election, marking the only time a member of a centre-left, liberal party won in the constituency. Moon led an unsuccessful presidential campaign in the 2012 South Korean presidential election and remained as the member of the National Assembly for Sasang. Moon did not run for re-election and was succeeded by the constituency's former member Chang Je-won. Chang, who ran as an independent candidate, garnered 37.5% of the vote and narrowly beat out Democratic opponent Bae Jae-jung in a three-way race. Chang won re-election in 2020 with 52.03% of the vote, once again defeating Bae Jae-jung of the Democratic Party. Ahead of the 2024 South Korean legislative election, Chang announced that he would not stand for re-election. The People Power Party nominated Kim Dae-sik, who went on to win the general election; Bae Jae-jung marked her third consecutive loss in Sasang.

## Boundaries

The constituency encompasses the entirety of Sasang District, Busan. It borders the constituencies of Seo–Dong to the southeast, Saha A to the south, Busanjin A and Busanjin B to the east, Buk A to the north, and Gangseo to the west.

## List of members in the National Assembly

| Election | Member | Party | Dates | Notes |
| 2000 | Kwon Chul-hyun | Grand National | 2000–2008 | |
| 2004 | Kwon Chul-hyun | Grand National | 2000–2008 | |
| 2008 | Chang Je-won | Grand National | 2008–2012 | |
| 2012 | Moon Jae-in | Democratic United | 2012–2016 | Ran as the Democratic United Party candidate for President of South Korea in the 2012 South Korean presidential election Leader of the Democratic Party (2015–2016) |
| 2016 | Chang Je-won | Independent | 2016–2024 | Returned to the Saenuri Party on June 23, 2016 Left the Saenuri Party and joined the Bareun Party on December 27, 2016, as a result of the 2016 South Korean political scandal Left the Bareun Party and returned to the Liberty Korea Party on May 2, 2017 |
| 2020 | Chang Je-won | United Future | 2016–2024 | Returned to the Saenuri Party on June 23, 2016 Left the Saenuri Party and joined the Bareun Party on December 27, 2016, as a result of the 2016 South Korean political scandal Left the Bareun Party and returned to the Liberty Korea Party on May 2, 2017 |
| 2024 | Kim Dae-sik | People Power | 2024–present | |

## Election results
### 2024

Legislative Election 2024: Sasang :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | People Power | Kim Dae-sik | 62,975 | 52.63 | 0.6 |
| | Democratic | Bae Jae-jung | 56,659 | 47.36 | 0.82 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,658 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 121,292 | 66.70 | 0.66 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 181,823 | | |
| | People Power hold | People Power hold | Swing | | |

### 2020

Legislative Election 2020: Sasang :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Future | Chang Je-won | 66,353 | 52.03 | 25.42 |
| | Democratic | Bae Jae-jung | 59,346 | 46.54 | 10.67 |
| | National Revolutionary | Kim Jun-ho | 1,006 | 0.78 | new |
| | Our Republican | Lee Ju-cheon | 809 | 0.63 | new |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,587 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 129,101 | 67.36 | 9.64 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 191,651 | | |
| | United Future hold | United Future hold | Swing | | |

### 2016

Legislative Election 2016: Sasang :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Chang Je-won | 42,924 | 37.50 | new |
| | Democratic | Bae Jae-jung | 41,055 | 35.87 | 19.17 |
| | Saenuri | Son Su-jo | 30,463 | 26.61 | 17.14 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,461 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 115,903 | 57.72 | 0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 200,808 | | |
| | Independent gain from Democratic | Independent gain from Democratic | Swing | | |

### 2012

Legislative Election 2012: Sasang :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic United | Moon Jae-in | 65,336 | 55.04 | new |
| | Saenuri | Son Su-jo | 51,936 | 43.75 | 1.73 |
| | Korea Vision | Na Kyung-soo | 749 | 0.63 | new |
| | Real Democratic | Son Hyun-kyung | 668 | 0.56 | new |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 866 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 119,555 | 57.42 | 19.66 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 208,214 | | |
| | Democratic United gain from Saenuri | Democratic United gain from Saenuri | Swing | | |

### 2008

Legislative Election 2008: Sasang :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Grand National | Chang Je-won | 35,039 | 45.48 | 7.26 |
| | Pro-Park | Kang Ju-man | 28,485 | 36.97 | new |
| | Democratic Labor | Cho Cha-ri | 12,096 | 15.70 | new |
| | Family Party for Peace and Unity | Kim Myung-on | 1,410 | 1.83 | – |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,349 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 78,379 | 37.76 | 23.65 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 207,579 | | |
| | Grand National hold | Grand National hold | Swing | | |

### 2004

Legislative Election 2004: Sasang :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Grand National | Kwon Chul-hyun | 67,960 | 52.74 | 12.47 |
| | Uri | Chung Yoon-jae | 56,158 | 43.58 | new |
| | Independent | Lee Sang-deok | 1,787 | 1.38 | new |
| | Millennium Democratic | Han Seung-jong | 1,686 | 1.30 | 12.46 |
| | Green Social Democratic | Kim Sang-gil | 1,254 | 0.97 | new |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,243 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 130,088 | 61.41 | 9.55 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 211,749 | | |
| | Grand National hold | Grand National hold | Swing | | |

### 2000

Legislative Election 2000: Sasang :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Grand National | Kwon Chul-hyun | 68,751 | 65.21 | – |
| | Democratic People's | Shin Sang-woo | 18,823 | 17.85 | – |
| | Millennium Democratic | Lee Eun-soo | 14,512 | 13.76 | – |
| | United Liberal Democrats | Lee Sang-deok | 3,343 | 3.17 | – |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,308 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 106,737 | 51.86 | – |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 205,828 | | |
| | Grand National hold | Grand National hold | Swing | | |