Kim Yong-min
South Korean lawyer and politician (born 1976)
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Kim Yong-min (Korean: 김용민, born 5 June 1976) is a South Korean lawyer and politician and, since 2020, the Member of the National Assembly for Namyangju 3rd constituency. He is one of the prominent pro-Cho Kuk MPs, along with Kim Nam-kuk and Choe Kang-wook.
Kim Yong-min | |
|---|---|
김용민 | |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| Assumed office 30 May 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Joo Kwang-deok |
| Constituency | Namyangju 3rd |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 June 1976 |
| Party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Hanyang University KAIST |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
Early career
Born in Seoul, Kim attended Younghoon High School before majoring in law at Hanyang University.[1][2] He also studied for a Master of Engineering at KAIST.[2]
After qualifying for the bar in 2003, he had been working at the Korean Bar Association and for Lawyers for a Democratic Society (LDS), of which he was the deputy secretary-general.[1][2] In 2013, he defended Naneun Ggomsuda sued for breaching the Public Official Election Act.[1] He was also in charge of defending Yoo Woo-seong, a North Korean defector who was falsely accused as a spy.[2] During the 2016 political scandal, Kim revealed that Ko Young-tae was unfairly examined by the prosecution.[2] In 2018, he defended Chung Bong-ju, who was involved in a sexual harassment controversy.[3]
Political career
On 7 February 2020, Kim joined the Democratic Party, along with Kim Nam-kuk.[3][4] Soon after, he became a potential candidate for Namyangju 3rd constituency that was held by Joo Kwang-deok.[5] However, because he became the candidate without any preselections,[6] other pre-candidates protested and some urged him to withdraw.[7]
Following his confirmation as the Democratic candidate for Namyangju 3rd, Kim faced a challenge against the then MP Joo Kwang-deok, who was seeking re-election under the banner of the United Future Party (UFP).[8] The competition was widely described as "Cho Kuk War", as Kim was a strong advocate of the former minister of justice, Cho Kuk, while Joo was a "sniper" against the former minister.[8] In the election on 15 April, Kim defeated Joo with a margin of 4,286 votes.[9]
On 16 April 2021, approximately a year after his election, Kim launched his bid for the party's vice presidency in the by-election on 2 May.[10] He received 17.73% and was elected with the highest votes in an upset victory.[11][12] The Maeil Business Newspaper said that the outcome was due to strong support from pro-Moon Jae-in members.[12]
Political views
A progressive figure,[3] Kim is one of strong advocates of Cho Kuk,[8] along with Kim Nam-kuk and Choe Kang-wook.[1][2] He supports the prosecution reforms promoted by the Moon Jae-in government.[1][2]
Election results
General elections
| Year | Elections | Constituency | Political party | Votes (%) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 21st National Assembly General Election | Namyangju C (Gyeonggi) | Democratic | 71,776 (50.07%) | Won |
| 2024 | 22nd National Assembly General Election | Namyangju C (Gyeonggi) | Democratic | 83,387 (54.58%) | Won |