Kim Yong-nam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kim Yong-nam
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| 김영남 | |
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Kim in 2014
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| President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly | |
| In office 5 September 1998 – 11 April 2019 |
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| Leader | |
| Preceded by | Yang Hyong-sop |
| Succeeded by | Choe Ryong-hae |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 1 December 1983 – 5 September 1998 |
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| Premier | Hong Song-nam Kang Song-san Yon Hyong-muk Ri Kun-mo Kang Song-san Ri Jong-ok |
| Preceded by | Ho Dam |
| Succeeded by | Paek Nam-sun |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 February 1928 Heijō, Heian’nan-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan (today Pyongyang, North Korea) |
| Political party | Workers' Party of Korea |
| Alma mater | Tomsk State University Rostov State University |
| Signature |  |
| Korean name | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl |
김영남
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| Hancha |
金永南
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| Revised Romanization | Gim Yeong-nam |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Yŏng-nam |
Kim Yong-nam (Chosŏn'gŭl: 김영남; born 4 February 1928) is a North Korean politician who is now retired. He was the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea from 1998 to 2019. Before that, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1983 to 1998. He was also a member of an important group called the Presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) starting in 2010.
Contents
Kim Yong-nam's Early Life and Career
There are different stories about Kim Yong-nam's early life. One story says he was born in 1928 in a village in China called Dapu Shihe. He came to North Korea with Chinese army volunteers during the Korean War. After the war ended in 1953, he went to the USSR (now Russia) to study. His time studying in Russia helped him a lot in his career dealing with other countries. By 1962, he was a vice-minister for foreign affairs.
His official biography says he was born in Pyongyang, North Korea. After finishing university, he worked as a teacher. He also held many important jobs in the Workers' Party of Korea and the government. These jobs included being a vice-minister of foreign affairs and a vice-premier. He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1983. This happened after a big change in how North Korea handled its foreign affairs. In 1988, he helped set up unofficial talks with the United States.
As the chairman of the Presidium, Kim Yong-nam was sometimes seen as the "main representative" of North Korea. He held this important position from September 5, 1998, until April 11, 2019. This role is sometimes thought of as the "number two official" in the country. People who knew him said he was very smart and good at talking with other countries. He was an important person working behind the scenes in North Korea.
Kim Yong-nam's Diplomatic Activities
Kim Yong-nam traveled a lot to represent North Korea. In July 2007, he went on a two-week trip to Mongolia, Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Singapore. In March 2008, he visited four countries in Africa. He went to Namibia, where he saw a new presidential home built by North Korea. He also talked with the Namibian President and signed an agreement about public health. After that, he visited Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda.
Kim also attended many big international events. He was at the opening ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2014 Winter Olympics. He also attended the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony and the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony. In July 2009, he met the Vietnamese president in Egypt. In May 2015, Kim represented North Korea at a big parade in Moscow. This parade celebrated the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. He also visited Equatorial Guinea in May 2016 for a presidential inauguration.
In December 2018, he attended the ceremony for Andrés Manuel López Obrador becoming president of Mexico. He represented the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at this event.
Kim Yong-nam's Retirement
Kim Yong-nam retired on April 11, 2019. He was 91 years old at the time. He had been the President of the SPA Presidium for almost 21 years. He was also a member of the Party Politburo for about 40 years. In 2022, he took part in a special concert and banquet. This event celebrated the Day of the Foundation of the Republic.
See also
In Spanish: Kim Yong-nam para niños
- Politics of North Korea
