Moon Jae-in facts for kids

In this Korean name, the family name is Moon.

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Moon Jae-in GOM
문재인
Moon in 2019

12th President of South Korea
In office 10 May 2017 – 9 May 2022
Prime Minister	Yoo Il-ho (acting) Lee Nak-yon Chung Sye-kyun Hong Nam-ki (acting) Kim Boo-kyum
Preceded by	Park Geun-hye Hwang Kyo-ahn (acting)
Succeeded by	Yoon Suk Yeol
Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea
In office 9 February 2015 – 27 January 2016
Preceded by	Moon Hee-sang (interim)
Succeeded by	Kim Chong-in (interim)
Member of the National Assembly
In office 30 May 2012 – 29 May 2016
Preceded by	Chang Je-won
Succeeded by	Chang Je-won
Constituency	Sasang (Busan)
Chief of Staff to the President
In office 12 March 2007 – 24 February 2008
President	Roh Moo-hyun
Preceded by	Lee Byung-wan
Succeeded by	Yu Woo-ik

Personal details
Born	(1953-01-24) 24 January 1953 (age 72) Geoje, South Korea
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Kim Jung-sook (m. 1981)
Children	2
Parents	Moon Yong-hyung (father) Kang Han-ok (mother)
Alma mater	Kyung Hee University (LLB)
Occupation	Politician civil servant lawyer
Signature
Website
Military service
Allegiance	South Korea
Branch/service	Republic of Korea Army
Years of service	1975–1978
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	Army Special Warfare Command
Battles/wars	Operation Paul Bunyan

Korean name
Hangul	문재인
Hanja	文在寅
Revised Romanization	Mun Jaein
McCune–Reischauer	Mun Chaein

Moon Jae-in (Hangul: 문재인 born on January 24, 1953) is a South Korean politician and former lawyer. He served as the 12th president of South Korea from 2017 to 2022. Before becoming president, he worked as a senior aide to President Roh Moo-hyun. He was also a member of the National Assembly and the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Moon was born to North Korean refugees and grew up in a poor family in Busan. He was a good student and studied law at Kyung Hee University. He became a lawyer and worked to protect human rights with Roh Moo-hyun. He was even jailed for protesting against the strict Yushin Constitution. Because of his work, Moon became Roh's campaign manager in the 2002 presidential election. He held several important roles in Roh's government. In 2012, Moon ran for president but lost to Park Geun-hye.

In the 2017 election, Moon became president after Park Geun-hye was removed from office. As president, Moon became known for meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. They met three times in 2018. He also met with Kim and US President Donald Trump at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Moon supports the Sunshine Policy, which aims for peaceful Korean reunification. He worked to change large family-owned businesses called chaebols. He also increased the minimum wage and shortened the workweek. During the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, Moon's actions were praised. His party won a big victory in the 2020 South Korean legislative election. He left office in May 2022.

Early Life & Education

Moon Jae-in was born in Geoje, South Korea, on January 24, 1953. This was just before the end of the Korean War. He was the second child and oldest son of five children. His parents were refugees from North Korea. They had to leave their hometown of Hungnam during the Korean War.

His family later settled in Busan. His father tried to sell socks, but the family ended up in debt. His mother became the main earner. She sold clothes from relief groups and delivered coal briquettes. Moon's family became involved with the Catholic Church. This happened when his mother went to a church to get milk powder. Moon once said his family was too poor to afford a bike or school tuition.

Moon went to Kyungnam High School and was a top student. He got a full scholarship to study law at Kyung Hee University. There, he met his future wife, Kim Jung-sook. He was arrested and expelled from university for protesting against the Yushin Constitution. This was a very strict set of rules for the government. After this, he joined the military. He served in the Special Forces.

After leaving the military, his father passed away. This made him want to study for the bar exam to become a lawyer. He studied at a Buddhist temple and passed the first part of the exam in 1979. In 1980, he finished his studies at Kyung Hee University. He passed the second part of the bar exam and joined the Judicial Research and Training Institute. He did very well, but he couldn't become a judge or prosecutor. This was because of his past student protests against the government. So, Moon decided to become a private lawyer.

Becoming a Lawyer & Working with Roh Moo-hyun

After becoming a lawyer, Moon worked with Roh Moo-hyun in the 1980s. Roh later became president. Together, they handled cases about workers' rights. They became well-known for helping people with human rights issues.

Moon also helped start a progressive South Korean newspaper called The Hankyoreh in 1988.

Roh Moo-hyun asked Moon to be his campaign manager for the presidential election. After Roh won, Moon became a close helper. He held several important jobs in the president's office. He was a Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs and later Chief Presidential Secretary.

When the National Assembly tried to remove President Roh from office in 2004, Moon led the legal team that defended him. They won the case in court. Moon also helped prepare for a meeting between North and South Korea in 2007.

Political Journey Before Presidency

Entering Politics

Even though he wasn't very interested in politics at first, Moon started to get involved. He wrote a book called Moon Jae-in: The Destiny. It became a bestseller. His popularity grew, especially against Park Geun-hye, who was likely to be his opponent in the presidential race.

Moon became more popular as people grew unhappy with conservative politicians. Many saw him as a calm and sensible leader. He also had strong support from younger people.

Running for Office

In 2012, Moon ran for a seat in the National Assembly. He won the election in the Sasang District of Busan. He was a member of the Democratic United Party.

Later in 2012, Moon was chosen as the presidential candidate for his party. He ran against Park Geun-hye and another candidate, Ahn Cheol-soo. Ahn later dropped out and supported Moon. However, Moon lost the election to Park Geun-hye.

Leading the Democratic Party

Moon was elected as the leader of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) in 2015. He and Ahn Cheol-soo had disagreements about the party's direction. Ahn later left to form his own party. Moon's party was then renamed the Democratic Party.

During his time as leader, Moon brought many talented people into the party. He then stepped down from his leadership role to allow another advisor to take over.

2017 Presidential Election

Moon at his first press conference as president in 2017

Moon was seen as the favorite to win the 2017 presidential election. This election happened early because President Park Geun-hye was removed from office. The election was moved from December 2017 to May 2017.

Moon won his party's nomination with 57% of the votes. In the main election, he faced four other major candidates. He won the election with 41.1% of the votes. Because it was a special election, Moon became president the day after he won. He did not have the usual time to prepare.

What Moon Promised (Domestic Policy)

Economy

Moon promised to spend money to create jobs and help new businesses. He wanted to create many public sector jobs by raising taxes on wealthy people.

He also wanted to stop corruption in large Korean companies called chaebols. He aimed to give smaller shareholders more power in these companies.

Transparency

Moon also promised to make his presidency more open. He planned to move the presidential home from the Blue House to a government building in downtown Seoul.

What Moon Promised (Foreign Policy)

Moon wanted peaceful reunification between North and South Korea. He said his first visit as president would be to North Korea. This idea was both praised and criticized. His foreign policy was similar to the "Sunshine Policy" of past presidents. This policy focuses on working together with North Korea.

He also supported reopening the Kaesong industrial park, a joint project between the two Koreas.

Moon said he was "pro-U.S." but believed South Korea should be able to say no to US requests. He wanted South Korea to lead on issues related to the Korean Peninsula. He also saw the US as a "friend" for helping South Korea's economy grow.

Presidency (2017–2022)

Moon Jae-in's presidential Job Approval rating

Moon became president on May 10, 2017. He took office right away because his predecessor, Park Geun-hye, had been removed. He served one five-year term, ending in 2022.

Moon's government is often described as liberal or left-wing.

Domestic Policies

Business Reform

South Korea's economy has grown a lot thanks to Chaebols, which are big family-owned companies like Samsung and Hyundai. These companies have a lot of power and connections to the government. Moon wanted to reform them. He appointed an activist known for challenging chaebols to a key role.

Tech Rules

As president, Moon signed a law called the "Anti-Google Law." This law stops companies like Apple and Google from forcing app makers to use their payment systems. This means app developers can avoid paying fees to Apple or Google.

Healthcare

Moon's healthcare policy expanded benefits under the National Health Insurance.

Justice System Changes

Changes were made to the justice system to reduce the power of prosecutors. Before, prosecutors had a lot of power to investigate and accuse people. The goal was to balance this power.

A new office was created to investigate high-ranking officials. Some prosecutors resigned to show their disagreement with these changes. The power of prosecutors did become weaker during Moon's time.

Minimum Wage

Moon's government increased the minimum wage. In 2018, it went up by 16.4%. A report from Oxfam said South Korea was one of the few countries in Asia trying to reduce inequality that year.

Work Hours

The maximum workweek was cut from 68 hours to 52 hours. A study in 2018 found that people in central Seoul spent less time at work. They had more time for fun activities in their neighborhoods.

Education

Moon reversed a plan by the previous president to make schools use state-issued history textbooks. Critics said the old plan was a way to hide negative parts of her father's rule. Moon's action meant schools could continue using privately published, government-approved textbooks.

Energy

Moon meets with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Russia, September 6, 2017

Moon's government wanted South Korea to use more natural gas. They aimed to use less nuclear and coal energy. This included delaying new nuclear power plants and not renewing licenses for old ones. He also closed some coal power plants and planned to close more. He hoped renewable energy would meet Korea's needs in the future.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Moon wearing a protective mask in March 2021

Moon's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was praised both in South Korea and worldwide. In early 2020, daily cases dropped sharply.

Some South Koreans signed a petition to remove Moon from office, saying his government handled the outbreak poorly at first. But many others signed a petition to support him, praising his government's control of the virus.

Polls showed that many people approved of Moon's response to the crisis. His approval rating went up. Experts noted that South Korea tested many people and had a low death rate from the disease.

2020 Election & Reforms

Moon's Democratic Party won a large majority in the 2020 South Korean legislative election. They gained enough seats to pass laws quickly. This was the biggest majority for any party since democracy returned in 1987.

With this power, the Democratic Party made several changes:

They changed the role of the National Intelligence Service. It would no longer handle domestic intelligence.
They made it illegal to make false claims about the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
They made it illegal to send flyers to North Korea by balloon.
They set the maximum workweek to 52 hours.
They expanded rights for workers to join unions.
They created a new office to investigate corruption among high-ranking officials.
They planned to create local police forces.

Foreign Relations

International Visits

Moon with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte in December 2018

Moon with U.S. president Joe Biden in May 2021

Moon with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez in June 2021

Moon visited the United States in June 2017 to meet with President Donald Trump. They talked about trade and North Korea's missile programs. Trump accepted an invitation to visit South Korea.

North Korea

Kim and Moon shake hands at the border.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and Moon shake hands inside the Peace House.

Moon spoke about his North Korea plan in Germany in 2017. He said reunification would be a long process. He stressed the importance of working with the United States to remove North Korea's nuclear weapons. He also hoped for a peace treaty to officially end the Korean War.

Moon had been against fully deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system. He wanted more peace talks with North Korea. However, after North Korea's missile launches, he asked the US for permission to build up South Korea's defenses.

Moon met with Kim Jong Un on April 27, 2018. This meeting created a lot of excitement in South Korea. Moon's popularity rose to 68%.

They met again on May 26, 2018, in a surprise meeting at the DMZ. This meeting focused on a canceled summit with Donald Trump.

In September 2018, Moon visited Pyongyang, North Korea. He and 150 delegates met with Kim Jong Un. They agreed to reduce tensions at the DMZ and work on joint economic projects. They also agreed to open North Korean weapons sites to international experts. Moon also climbed Mount Paektu with Kim.

In 2020, Moon still hoped for cooperation with North Korea. However, North Korea blew up a joint liaison office in June. In September, Moon spoke at the United Nations General Assembly. He hoped for support to end the Korean War and achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Unemployment

In January 2019, South Korea's unemployment rate reached 4.5%. This was the highest for that month since 2010. Youth unemployment also hit a 19-year high. Some experts thought Moon's policies, like raising the minimum wage and cutting work hours, might have contributed to job struggles.

By December 2021, the unemployment rate had dropped to 3.7%. This was the lowest since 2017.

After Presidency (2022–Present)

Former President Moon shakes hands with his successor Yoon Suk Yeol after Yoon's inauguration, 10 May 2022.

Moon left office on May 9, 2022. Yoon Suk Yeol, whom Moon had appointed as prosecutor general, became the next president. Moon was the last president to live and work at the Blue House. The new president moved the office to a different building. Moon now lives in Pyeongsan Village.

In May 2024, Moon published a book called From the Periphery to the Center. This book brought up discussions about his time as president.

After Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in December 2024, Moon posted on social media. He hoped the National Assembly would act quickly to protect democracy. He also urged the military not to get involved in a non-emergency martial law declaration.

Legacy

Moon left office as a very popular president. However, his party lost power after only five years. This was the first time this happened since democracy returned in 1987. This suggests that high approval ratings don't always mean a party will stay in power.

During Moon's presidency, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, South Koreans' trust in the government grew. The government handled the pandemic well. Moon's government also reduced the workweek, increased the minimum wage, and expanded childcare and healthcare benefits.

However, Moon's government did not pass a new anti-discrimination law. It also struggled to solve a housing crisis in the Seoul area. This housing crisis may have played a role in his party losing the 2022 presidential election.

In foreign policy, Moon helped South Korea become more important on the world stage. He pushed for trade talks with Southeast Asia and India. However, his meetings with North Korea did not lead to major breakthroughs. Also, relations between South Korea and Japan became worse.

In 2017, Moon apologized to Vietnam for actions by South Korean troops during the Vietnam War.

Images for kids

Moon Jae-in (East Asian characters).svg

Moon's name in Hangul (top) and Hanja (bottom)

Honours

National honours

South Korea: Recipient of the Grand Order of Mugunghwa (May 3, 2022)

Foreign distinctions

Austria: Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (June 14, 2021)
Colombia: Grand Collar of the Order of Boyaca (August 25, 2021)
Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav (June 12, 2019)
Slovenia: Member of the Order for Exceptional Merits (September 21, 2021)
Spain: Knight of the Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (June 8, 2021)
Sweden: Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim (June 14, 2019)

Other awards

Atlantic Council: Global Citizen Awards (September 19, 2017)
IOC: Gold Olympic Order (August 30, 2018)
Time: One of the 100 Most Influential People of 2018

Personal Life

Family

Moon married Kim Jung-sook, who was a singer at Kyung Hee University where he also studied.

They both shared that they met when Moon was a student protesting the Yushin Constitution.

He has two children: a daughter and a son, Moon Joon Yong, who is a media artist.

Pets

Before becoming president in 2017, Moon and his wife lived with several dogs and cats. All of them had been abandoned by previous owners. A dog named Maru (Hangul: 마루) and a cat named Jjing-jjing (Hangul: 찡찡 or 찡찡이) lived with them at the Blue House. Jjing-jjing was the country's first "First Cat."

After moving to the Blue House, they adopted a mixed-breed dog named Tory (Hangul: 토리). Tory was special because "First Dogs" were usually purebred Jindo dogs. Moon said he wanted to show care for abandoned animals. He also wanted to remove the negative idea about Tory's dark fur, which made it hard for him to be adopted.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gave Moon two Pungsan dogs as a gift in 2018. Their names were Song-gang (Hangul: 송강) and Gom-ee (Hangul: 곰이). Gom-ee later had six puppies. They were named after nature words: San-ee (mountain), Deul-ee (grass field), Gang-ee (river), Byul-ee (star), Dal-ee (Moon), and Hen-nim (Sun). The puppies were sent to different cities in 2019.

Religion

Moon is a Catholic. He is the third Korean president to be Catholic. His baptismal name is Timothy. His wife, First Lady Kim Jung-sook, is also Catholic.

Nickname

Moon's nickname is the "Dark King" (Hangul: 명왕; Hanja: 冥王; RR: Myeong-wang). This nickname comes from a character in the Japanese manga series One Piece.