- previous magistrate
- previous mayor
 
 

I was born as the second son of a family at Namha2-ri, Hayang-Eup Gyeongsan city inj 1955. I have three brothers but my family was not well off.

At the 6th year at the Cheongcheon Elementary school, I was elected as the president of students. It was about those days when I learned and aware of the importance of leadership and responsibility, and dreamed of a leader in the future.

In 1968, I graduated from the Elementary School and entered Daegeon Middle School. I began baseball, which I liked most, from the 2nd year of the Daegeon Middle School until the 1st year at Sangwon High School (previously Daegu Commercial School). I quit playing baseball to concentrate on studying and I passed the college entrance qualification examination at the 2nd year at Daegu Commercial High School. In 1974, I entered College of Law at Yeungnam University and prepared for the Higher Civil Service Examination in Administration, which I did not pass until graduation.

In 1974, I entered Graduate School of Public Administration at Seoul National University, and at the 1st year of the graduate school I passed the Higher Civil Service Examination in Administration.

In May of 1981, I joined the army and discharged from military service as a sergeant in July of 1983. I began my career as a policeman and was selected as a state scholarship student. I went to the Graduate School of Southern California University in US and obtained master's degree in May of 1989.

In January of 1991, I was appointed as a Chief of Gyungbuk Gunwee police station at the age of 34. I was the youngest Chief of the police station in Korea at that time. I then successively served posts at Yeongcheon, Daegu Bukbu, planning office at the National Police Agency and Noryangjin at Seoul. I did my best as a public official with integrity and sincerity. My cherished memories during my period of public service were the「Interview system with detainees」which I established for the first time in the nation when I was a chief of Noryangjin Police Station and the attraction of Interpol general meeting for 1999 at its general meeting in 1996 when I was a manager of the 3rd Foreign Affairs.

In January of 1997 when I was 42, I determined to serve for the development of community based on the experience as an expert of administration and shared happiness and hardships with people in my hometown for the next seven years. I had run the「Gyeongbuk new millenium research center」from April of 1999 to December of 2003, and was involved in various activities such as development of policies, organizing forums, and free legal consulting about 200 times. I ran for the 16th National Assembly in April 2000 as an independent candidate but was unsuccessful with 14% of votes polled. However, I made good relations with many people and it was an experience with huge courage and hope for me.

I received a positive answer from the central government for the extension of Daegu subway to Gyeongsan, a long and cherished hope of Gyeongsan city. I collected requests from 100,000 citizens for three months from August of 2003 during the civil movement.

In April of 2005, I was elected for the mayor of Gyeongsan city by the nomination of Grand National Party. I am working on civil affairs based on the accumulated experience and knowledge under the slogan of "Establishment of dynamic Gyeongsan city with citizens" to make Gyeongsan city the No. 1 city with No. 1 citizen in Korea with 250,000 citizens. As the result, my self, Mr. Cho, Haenyeong the mayor of Daegu city and Mr. Lee, Euigeun the governor of Gyeongsangbuk-Do province made an agreement on the extension of Daegu subway to Gyeongsan city. Gyeongsan city won the Grand prize in the division of company support of 2005 Local Government Award on the 10th commemoration of local government system awarded by the Korean Press Forum.

My capability and vision during the one year in the office were highly evaluated and was again elected as the mayor of Gyeongsan city (candidate of the Grand National party) by the overwhelming support of Gyeongsan citizens in the last 5.31 local government election. I took an office as the 5th elected mayor of Gyeongsan city.

As one can feel from the slogan, I am straightforward and outspoken. I do not know way of circumlocution. But, I do not say other words in one's back. I do not like people who smiles to one's face but changes what was said on one's back. I prefer a person who rather throw a sword to one's face.

My hobby is baduk, but I do not recollect playing baduk since I took the mayor's office. I try to go home early if there is no official event, but I cannot go home early due to various events. So, I always feel sorry for my family.