Kwon Young-se

권영세Minister of UnificationIn office
16 May 2022 – 28 July 2023PresidentYoon Suk-yeolPrime MinisterHan Duck-sooPreceded byLee In-youngSucceeded byKim Yung-hoMember of the National AssemblyAssumed office
30 May 2020Preceded byChin YoungConstituencyYongsanIn office
8 August 2002 – 29 May 2012Preceded byKim Min-seokSucceeded byShin Kyoung-minConstituencyYeongdeungpo BSouth Korean Ambassador to ChinaIn office
1 June 2013 – 26 March 2015PresidentPark Geun-hyePreceded byLee Kyu-hyungSucceeded byKim Jang-soo Personal detailsBorn (1959-02-24) 24 February 1959 (age 65)
Seoul, South KoreaPolitical partyPeople Power PartyAlma materSeoul National University (LLB, LLM)
Harvard University (MPA)Military serviceAllegiance South KoreaBranch/serviceRepublic of Korea Air ForceYears of service1986–1989RankCaptain
(Korean: Daewi)UnitMilitary advocate

Kwon Young-se (Korean: 권영세; Hanja: 權寧世; born 24 February 1959) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who is currently serving as the member for Yongsan in the National Assembly. A member of the People Power Party, he is often described as a moderate conservative within his party.^[1] He previously served in the National Assembly as the member for Yeongdeungpo B from 2002 to 2012.^[2]

Early life

Kwon Yeong-se was born on February 24, 1959, into a working-class family in Seoul. He graduated from the Seoul National University School of Law and passed his bar examination in 1983. He later received his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Career

Prior to becoming a politician, Kwon worked as a public prosecutor. He entered politics when he was nominated as the Grand National Party's candidate for Yeongdeungpo B in the 2002 South Korean by-elections after former member Kim Min-seok's resignation in order to run in the Seoul Mayoral election. Kwon was elected with 54.9% of the vote in the election.^[3] He was re-elected in his constituency in the 2004 election and the 2008 election, but failed to be re-elected in the 2012 election.^[4]

While not a member of the National Assembly, he actively supported Park Geun-hye's campaign in the 2012 South Korean presidential election. He was then appointed by President Park Geun-hye to serve as South Korea's Ambassador to China in early 2013. He returned to South Korea in March 2015 and was succeeded by Kim Jang-soo.^[5]

Upon his return to South Korea, he once again ran as the Saenuri Party's candidate for the Yeongdeungpo B constituency in the 2016 South Korean legislative election, however he was defeated by incumbent Shin Kyoung-min.^[6]

In the 2020 South Korean legislative election, Kwon narrowly defeated Democratic candidate Kang Tae-woong in the Yongsan constituency race, returning to the National Assembly as a member after eight years.^[7]

References