On October 1, President Lee Jae-myung appointed Song Young-gil, a member of the Democratic Party, as the Special Advisor for Peace Diplomacy in the Presidential Office. Song is a six-term lawmaker who previously served as the Chair of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and as the head of the Presidential Northern Economic Cooperation Committee.
Born in 1963 in Goheung, Jeonnam, Song graduated from Gwangju Daedong High School and Yonsei University with a degree in business administration. He was involved in student and labor movements and entered politics after passing the bar exam in 1994, working as a labor and human rights attorney.
He first entered the National Assembly in 2000 after being elected in the 16th general election. After serving as a lawmaker in the 16th, 17th, and 18th National Assemblies, he was elected Mayor of Incheon in 2010, a position he held until 2014. He returned to the National Assembly after winning elections in the 20th and 21st general elections, as well as the recent by-election in Incheon Yeonsu-gap, marking his sixth term.
In 2021, he was elected as the leader of the Democratic Party. His extensive experience includes serving as a lawmaker, a mayor, and a party leader, providing him with a broad understanding of legislative activities, local administration, and party management.
During the Moon Jae-in administration, he acted as a special envoy to Russia and chaired the Presidential Northern Economic Cooperation Committee. He is currently a member of the National Assembly's Defense Committee.
Seong Gi-hong, the Chief of Public Communication at the Blue House, expressed expectations that Song's legislative experience and domestic and international networks will help expand the scope of national interest diplomacy from a balanced perspective.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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