Kim Young-joo (politician)

Kim Young-joo (Korean: 김영주; Hanja: 金榮珠; born 27 July 1955) is a South Korean basketball-player-turned politician previously served as President Moon Jae-in's first Minister of Employment and Labor. She is the first woman to lead the Ministry since its creation in 1981 and its preceding agency in 1948.[1]

This article is about South Korean politician and former minister. For South Korean football referee, see Kim Young-joo.
Kim Young-joo
김영주
Minister of Employment and Labor
In office
14 August 2017 – 21 September 2018
PresidentMoon Jae-in
Prime MinisterLee Nak-yeon
Succeeded byLee Jae-gap
Member of the National Assembly
Assumed office
30 May 2012
ConstituencySeoul Yeongdeungpo A
In office
30 May 2004 – 29 May 2008
ConstituencyProportional representation
Personal details
Born (1955-07-27) 27 July 1955
Seoul, South Korea
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materKorea National Open University
Sogang University
This is a Korean name; the family name is Kim.

She was a basketball player for Seoul Trust Bank (now absorbed into Hana Bank).[1] She then worked at the Bank where she faced gender discrimination which led her to join its trade union. She later joined its leadership board and eventually became the deputy chair of Korea Financial Industry Union and the first woman to assume this post.[2]

In 1999 she first entered into politics when she was recruited by Kim Dae-jung.[3] She has consistently took senior roles in her party and its preceding parties such as its secretary-general and one of elected members of its Supreme Council.[4]

She was nominated and appointed as President Moon Jae-in's first Minister of Employment and Labor. She was replaced after facing opposition parties and media's strong critics of "decrease in weekly working hours and increase in minimum wage" policy, which she was responsible of as labour minister and was one of main socio-economic campaign promises of Moon, throughout her time as Minister.[5]

Kim completed her tertiary education in her 40s - an undergraduate degree in Korean language and literature from Korea National Open University and a master's degree in economics from Sogang University.

Electoral history
Election Year District Party Affiliation Votes Percentage of votes Results
16th National Assembly General Election 2000 Proportional representation Democratic Party (2000) 6,780,625 35.9% Lost
17th National Assembly General Election 2004 Proportional representation Uri Party 8,145,824 38.26% Won
18th National Assembly General Election 2008 Seoul Yeongdeungpo A Democratic Party (2008) 34,163 42.53% Lost
19th National Assembly General Election 2012 Seoul Yeongdeungpo A Democratic United Party 52,232 52.87% Won
20th National Assembly General Election 2016 Seoul Yeongdeungpo A Democratic Party 49,935 45.28% Won
21st National Assembly General Election 2020 Seoul Yeongdeungpo A Democratic Party 72,445 56.2% Won

References
  1. "Korea's first cabinet under new president almost complete with Kim Young-joo named as labor minister - Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea". pulsenews.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  2. Herald, The Korea (2017-07-23). "Former basketball player, labor minister nominee champions gender equality". www.koreaherald.com. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  3. "민주당 "김영주 고용부장관 후보자 내정, 진심으로 환영"". www.donga.com (in Korean). 2017-07-23. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  4. "고용노동부 열린장관실". www.moel.go.kr. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  5. "Top South Korea officials replaced in Moon Jae-in government". UPI. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
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