Kwon Young-ghil facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kwon Young-ghil
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권영길
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| Chairman of the Democratic Labor Party | |
| In office 30 January 2000 – 12 July 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Party Established |
| Succeeded by | Kim Hae-kyung |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 30 May 2004 – 29 May 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Lee Ju-yeong |
| Succeeded by | Kang Ki-youn |
| Constituency | Seongsan District (Changwon) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 November 1941 Yamaguchi Prefecture, Empire of Japan |
| Political party | Justice Party |
| Other political affiliations |
People's Victory 21 (1997–2000) Democratic Labor Party (2000–11) Unified Progressive Party (2011–12) |
| Spouse | Kang Jie-yeun |
| Alma mater | Seoul National University |
| Religion | Roman Catholic(Christian Name : Charles) |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
권영길
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| Hanja |
權永吉
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| RR | Gwon Yeonggil |
| MR | Kwŏn Yŏnggil |
Kwon Young-ghil (Hangul: 권영길; born 5 November 1941) is a well-known South Korean politician, journalist, and leader for workers' rights. He helped start two important political groups: the People's Victory 21 and the Democratic Labour Party.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Kwon Young-ghil was born in Japan but later moved back to Korea. His father, Kwon Wu-hyun (Hangul: 권우현), was involved in movements that worked for Korea's independence and fairness.
Becoming a Journalist
In his younger years, Kwon worked as a journalist. He wrote for newspapers like Daehan Ilbo (Hangul: 대한일보; Hanja: 大韓日報) and Seoul Shinmun. From 1980 to 1987, he was a special reporter for Seoul Shinmun in Paris, France. This meant he sent news from France back to Korea.
Education and Helping Workers
Kwon studied sericulture at Seoul National University, graduating in 1969. Sericulture is the practice of raising silkworms to produce silk. Before he became a politician, he led several groups that helped workers. These included the Korean Federation of Press Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). From 1996 to 1997, he was the Chairman of the KCTU. These groups work to make sure workers have fair pay and good working conditions.
Political Journey
Kwon Young-ghil became a significant figure in South Korean politics. He was the President of the Democratic Labour Party, which focused on helping ordinary people and workers.
Serving in the National Assembly
He was elected as a member of the National Assembly for two terms, from 2004 to 2012. The National Assembly is like Korea's parliament, where laws are made. From 2000 to 2004, he was also the leader of the Democratic Labour Party.
Presidential Elections
Kwon ran for president of South Korea twice. He was the Democratic Labour Party's candidate in the 2002 and 2007 presidential elections.
Retirement from Frontline Politics
In 2012, after running for governor of South Gyeongsang Province and not winning, Kwon decided to step back from being a main leader in party politics.
Continued Influence
Since 2013, Kwon has been the president of a group called "Kwon Young-gil and a Better Livelihood" (Hangul: 권영길과 나아지는 살림살이). This group is like a think-tank that supports ideas and causes that help people and promote fairness. He encouraged people to vote for the Justice Party in the 2016 elections. He also actively supported Sim Sang-jung when she ran for president in 2017.
See also
- Democratic Labor Party (South Korea)
- Politics of South Korea
External links
- Kwon Young-ghil:South Korea National Assemblys
- Kwon Young-ghil
- 민주노동당 홈페이지
