 | You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in Korean. (March 2017)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Park Young-sun | |
|---|---|
박영선 | |
 | |
| 2ndMinister of SMEs and Startups | |
| In office 8 April 2019 – 20 January 2021 | |
| President | Moon Jae-in |
| Prime Minister | Lee Nak-yeon Chung Sye-kyun |
| Preceded by | Hong Jong-hak |
| Succeeded by | Kwon Chil-seung |
| Chairwoman of theNew Politics Alliance for Democracy Interim | |
| In office 4 August 2014 – 27 September 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Kim Han-gil Ahn Cheol-soo |
| Succeeded by | Moon Hee-sang(Interim) |
| Member of theNational Assembly | |
| In office 30 May 2008 – 29 May 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Kim Han-gil |
| Succeeded by | Youn Kun-young |
| Constituency | Guro B (Seoul) |
| In office 30 May 2004 – 29 May 2008 | |
| Constituency | Proportional representation |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1960-01-22)22 January 1960 (age 66) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Children | 1 son |
| Alma mater | Kyung Hee University Sogang University |
| Signature |  |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 박영선 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 朴映宣 |
| RR | Bak Yeongseon |
| MR | Pak Yŏngsŏn |
Park Young-sun (Korean: 박영선; born 22 January 1960) is a South Korean journalist-turned politician previously served as the secondMinister of SMEs and Startups under PresidentMoon Jae-in from April 2019 to 2021[1] and the first woman to leadSME-specialised government entity since its creation in 1996. Park is also a four-term parliamentarian ofDemocratic Party.
After finishing her undergraduate studies, Park began her career in journalism atMBC. She first joined the organisation as an announcer but was shortly transferred to its newsroom. From early 1980s to the early 2000s, Park hosted various television news programmes apart from few years when she was stationed in Los Angeles as its correspondent. From 2003 Park led its Economy News Department before leaving the company in 2004.
As a parliamentarian Park holds two titles of being the first woman - to lead the main opposition party as its floor leader[1] and to chair the Legislation and Judiciary Committee at the National Assembly where all bills are reviewed before being introduced to the floor. Park is most known to the public as a parliamentarian for her work on reforming the judiciary system in the country, promoting its "fair economy" and uncovering misdemeanors ofLee Myung-bak administration.
Park first entered politics in 2004 for the general election. She was recruited byChung Dong-young who was the leader ofUri Party and a fellow ex-MBC reporter. She was elected through proportional representation for which she was on number 9 on her party's list.[2] In the following elections, Park successfully ran for Seoul'sGuro B constituency where manySMEs and startups reside.[3]
Park served as a chair of the 19th National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and of the party's Special Committee onchaebol reform.[4] She was one of the vocal critics of South Korea's biggest chaebol,Samsung Group, and was particularly noted for her position on a controversialSDS transaction and the profits accumulated from a 1999 deal ruled by the courts as illegal.[5] She played a leading role in passing bills related to economic democratization while serving as a chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in 2013.
From May to October 2014, she served as the floor leader ofNew Politics Alliance for Democracy.[6] She is the first female politician who was elected a floor leader of a major opposition party in Korea.[7] AfterAhn Hee-jung lost party primary to then-candidateMoon Jae-in, she then joined Moon's second presidential campaign in2017 South Korean presidential election.
In 2011 Park earned the party nomination for Seoul Mayor emptied byOh Se-hoon but later withdrew her candidacy after their agreed poll foundPark Won-soon, then independent candidate, more fit to win the election and defeatNa Kyung-won. In 2018 Park ran for the same post again but lost to Park Won-soon in her party's primary.
In March 2019, she was appointed theMinister of SMEs and Startups.[8] Poll in December 2020 shows that over 70% of mid-to-low ranking officer at her Ministry surveyed would like to continue to work with Park as she is poised to run for Seoul Mayor by-election in 2021.[9]
She was also the first South Korean minister to serve in the Stewardship Board at aDavos Forum Platform.[10]
In January 2021, after a week after resigning from the SME minister, Park announced her candidacy for Seoul Mayor in the upcoming2021 by-elections.[11] Her former colleague at Moon's administration, former ministersPark Yang-woo,Cho Myung-rae,Jeong Kyeong-doo andKang Kyung-wha, joined her campaign as advisors.[12][13]
On 1 March 2021, Park earned party nomination for Seoul Mayor receiving nearly 70% of the votes cast, defeating the 4-term MPWoo Sang-ho.[14] This makes Park the third woman the democratic party has nominated for Seoul Mayor post after the former Justice MinisterKang Kum-sil and the former Prime MinisterHan Myeong-sook. Park was the front-runner to run againstOh Se-hoon from the main opposition party orAhn Cheol-soo a former Seoul mayor candidate and a former presidential hopeful in the April by-election.[15]
On 7 March, Park was confirmed as the unity candidate of the Democratic Party and theTransition Korea, defeatingCho Jung-hun.[16]
On the polls conducted on 7 April, Park lost to her opponentOh Se-hoon, who won in a landslide victory.[17]
Park holds two degrees - a bachelor in geography fromKyung Hee University and a master's in journalism fromSogang University.[3] She also taught journalism in practice classes as an adjunct professor at her first alma mater from 2000 to 2002.[18]
| National Assembly of the Republic of Korea | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theNational Assembly fromGuro B 2008–2020 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of theNew Politics Alliance for Democracy 2014 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of SMEs and Startups 2019–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Leaders (acting) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential candidates (Presidents) | |||||||||
| Floor leaders |
| ||||||||
| Preceding parties |
| ||||||||
| Splinter parties |
| ||||||||
| Satellite party | |||||||||
| Related articles | |||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
