Kim Han-gil

Kim Han-gil (Korean: 김한길; born 17 September 1952) is a South Korean politician in the People's Party, presently serving as a member of the National Assembly for Gwangjin District, Seoul. He was previously chairman of the Democratic Party from 2013 to 2014, and of its successor the New Politics Alliance for Democracy from March to July 2014.

For the footballer, see Kim Han-gil (footballer).
This is a Korean name; the family name is Kim.
Kim Han-gil
김한길
Kim campaigning in 2012
Member of the National Assembly
In office
30 May 2012 – 29 May 2016
Preceded byGwon Taek-gi
Succeeded byChun Hye-sook
ConstituencyGwangjin A (Seoul)
In office
30 May 1996 – 29 May 2008
Succeeded byPark Young-sun
ConstituencyGuro B (2004–2008) (Seoul)
Chairman of the New Politics
Alliance for Democracy
In office
26 March 2014 – 31 July 2014
Serving with Ahn Cheol-soo
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPark Young-sun (Interim)
Chairman of the Democratic Party
In office
4 May 2013 – 26 March 2014
Preceded byMoon Hee-sang (Interim)
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Minister of Culture and Tourism
In office
20 September 2000 – 18 September 2001
PresidentKim Dae-jung
Preceded byPark Jie-won
Succeeded byNam Gung-jin
Personal details
Born (1952-09-17) 17 September 1952
Tokyo, Japan
CitizenshipSouth Korean
Political partyNCNP → MDP → Uri → DP → CRDP → UDP → DP → DUP → DP → NPAD → Minjoo Party of Korea (1996–2016)
People's Party (2016–present)
Spouse(s)Choi Myung-gil
ResidenceGwangju, South Korea
Alma materKonkuk University
OccupationJournalist
Kim Han-gil
Hangul
김한길
Revised RomanizationGim Han-gil
McCune–ReischauerKim Han'gil

Having studied political science and journalism at Konkuk University, Kim worked as a journalist in the United States, writing for the Hankook Ilbo and the JoongAng Ilbo.[1] He became active in the National Congress for New Politics in 1996, and remained a member of the main liberal party under its various names until 2016.[1][2] He served as Minister of Culture and Tourism from 2000 to 2001, undertaking a highly publicized trip to North Korea on 10 March 2001, ostensibly to discuss tourism and culture arrangements.[3][4] Subsequent to his trip, Kim announced an agreement to form a joint North–South team to compete in the 2001 World Table Tennis Championships, but North Korea rejected the arrangement later in March, citing "incomplete agreement and preparation problems".[5]

Kim became a member of the National Assembly in 1996, but lost his seat in 2008. He returned to the Assembly in the 2012 elections, and became chairman of the Democratic Party in 2013.[6] When the Democratic Party merged with Ahn Cheol-soo's New Political Vision Party to form the New Politics Alliance for Democracy in March 2014, Kim became co-chairman of the new party alongside Ahn.[7] Kim and Ahn both resigned as co-chairmen three months later, however, following the party's disappointing performance in the 2014 by-elections, which had seen a conservative candidate win a constituency in South Jeolla Province for the first time in 26 years.[8]

On 3 January 2016, after Ahn had left the NPAD's successor, the Minjoo Party of Korea, Kim announced that he was leaving the Minjoo Party to join Ahn as a founding member of the new People's Party.[2] In March, in the lead-up to the 2016 legislative elections, Kim fell into dispute with Ahn over the need for an electoral alliance with the Minjoo Party. Kim resigned his position as co-chairman of the party's election campaign committee on March 11 over the dispute,[9] and with Ahn refusing to pursue such a pact and co-chairman Chun Jung-bae backing down from the prospect, on March 17 he withdrew his candidacy for the upcoming elections.[10] Kim nonetheless welcomed the results of the election, which were positive for the People's Party, stating that the day for a regime change was not far away.[11]

Kim is known for his "acerbic" remarks: in 2007 he labelled English teachers in Korea "white trash", and he criticized President Park Geun-hye for giving speeches in foreign languages overseas.[1]

References
  1. Hoare, James E. (2015). "Kim Han-gil". Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Korea (3rd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 243.
  2. "Former opposition leader leaves party". The Korea Times. 3 January 2016. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  3. "Why is the minister going to Pyongyang?". The Dong-A Ilbo. 8 March 2001. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  4. "Two Koreas announce fifth round of talks". CNN. 7 March 2001. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  5. Kirk, Don (29 March 2011). "North Korea Tells South: No Ping-Pong". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  6. "Kim Han-gil elected to head main opposition DP". AJU Business Daily. 5 May 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  7. Woo, Jaeyeon (27 March 2014). "Democratic Party Makeover!". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  8. "Co-chairmen quit amid election rubble". Korea JoongAng Daily. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  9. "Kim Han-gil Resigns as Co-Chairman of People's Party Election Committee". KBS World Radio. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  10. "Rep. Kim not to run in April elections". The Korea Times. 17 March 2016. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  11. "김한길 "정권교체의 날 머지 않았다"". Money Week (in Korean). 14 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
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