Starting out as a student activist, Kim Moon-soo, now Governor of Gyeonggi Province, experienced many twists and turns which closely parallel Korea's own turbulent course of development.
Born in 1951 in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, Kim was an exemplary student who was raised with strong Confucian principles. Excelling in school, Kim was the aspiring hope for his family who struggled to make ends meet, but Kim's life underwent a dramatic change in high school after his eyes were opened to widespread social injustice. He was later admitted to Seoul National University as a business major, but even after entering college, he continued to fight against the military dictatorship and worked at factories alongside workers for the advancement of their basic rights.
Entrance Into Politics
After witnessing the fall of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Kim began to recognize the shortcomings of pro-socialist policies and realized that an open market economy was essential in propelling Korea's development and maintaining the nation's democracy. He then joined the party of former opposition leader Kim Young-sam, which later evolved into what is currently the ruling party in Korea, the Grand National Party.
Kim was first elected to the Korean National Assembly in Bucheon City, Gyeonggi Province, in 1996 and served a total of three terms. Throughout his ten years in the Assembly, he was well known for his passionate legislative activities and was selected as the Best Assembly Member by civic groups and reporters on a number of occasions.
Defender of North Korean Human Rights
While serving as a member of the Unification, Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee at the National Assembly from 2004, Kim devoted himself to advocating North Korean human rights and protecting North Korean refugees. In 2005, Kim showed a video of North Korean public executions in the National Assembly for the very first time and submitted the North Korean Human Rights Act to the Assembly. Still awaiting passage, the bill aims at improving the human rights conditions in the communist regime and calls for the repatriation of South Korean abductees and prisoners of war still held in the North.
While Kim is one of the strongest critics of the government's passive policy on North Korean human rights, he is also supportive of providing humanitarian aid for the North Korean people. He firmly believes that guiding North Korea toward the path of reform, openness and human rights is essential in preparing for unification.
Vision as Gyeonggi Governor
Now, as a leader of Korea's foremost province of 11 million people, Kim has embraced a new and challenging mandate - developing Gyeonggi Province as a driving force for the advancement of Korea.
Located at the center of the Korean peninsula and surrounding the Korean capital of Seoul, Gyeonggi Province has long served a key role in the development of Korea through its strategic location and vibrant economy. Home to world-leading enterprises such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Hyundai-Kia Motors and LG Display, Gyeonggi Province accounts for one-third of the nation’s workforce and one-fifth of the nation’s GDP. In terms of exports, the province recorded 63 billion dollars in 2006, making it the top exporter in the nation. And as the fastest growing regional economy in the country, the province is one of the most sought-after destinations for foreign investment.
Capitalizing on these attractive features, Kim strives to build Gyeonggi Province into one of the major global hubs of Northeast Asia by easing regulations and providing custom-made administrative services for foreign corporations. His vision is to develop Gyeonggi Province as one of the leading global centers for both conventional and knowledge-based industries.
As Gyeonggi also borders on North Korea, the region is strategically important in terms of international relations as well as business opportunities. With the strengthening of North and South Korean relations, the northern Gyeonggi area is emerging as the center of inter-Korean exchange. Prior to the division of the Korean peninsula, North Korean cities such as Gaeseong, where the Gaeseong Industrial Complex is currently located, were originally part of Gyeonggi Province. Kim is reaching out to these former Gyeonggi regions and working to strengthen economic cooperation with the North, so that Gyeonggi can serve a role in building up a mutually beneficial relationship between the two Koreas.
At the same time, the west coast area of Gyeonggi Province is increasing in prominence as the core of Northeast Asia's logistics through the full-scale development of Pyeongtaek Port, the closest seaport to China.
Other major missions he is undertaking include the environment-friendly development of the Paldang Reservoir, the main drinking source to the 23 million residents of the Seoul-Gyeonggi metropolitan area, and the upgrading of the province's public transportation systems. After assuming one year in office, Kim was selected as the leading local government leader in terms of campaign pledge implementation by a key Korean watchdog group. He was also honored with the 5th Forbes Management Quality Award in the public innovation category as presented by Forbes Korea and the Korean Society for Quality Management.
Kim has a wife and one daughter. He assumed office in July of 2006 and his current 4-year term will end in June 2010.
Early Years: Labor & Democracy Activist
