By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young
A new direction for South Korea's cultural policy has been set. Rep. Kim Kyo-heung, a three-term senior politician from the Democratic Party (Incheon Seo-gu Gap), was elected as the chair of the 22nd National Assembly's Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee at the National Assembly plenary session on June 27.
Kim's election as chair is seen as more than just a personnel change, but as the establishment of new leadership for South Korea's cultural, tourism, and sports policies.
Kim, who served as chairman of the Incheon University Student Council, led the May 3 Democratic Uprising in Incheon in 1986 and was at the forefront of the democratization movement.
He entered politics as an aide to the 15th National Assembly and was first elected as a lawmaker of the 17th National Assembly in 2004.
He has since held various positions, including National Assembly Secretary-General (ministerial level), Chief Secretary of National Assembly Speaker Jeong Se-hyun, Deputy Mayor for Policy Affairs of Incheon City, and Vice Chairman of the Korean Sports Federation's Mass Sports Division, accumulating a diverse range of experience spanning legislation, administration, and sports.
In the 21st National Assembly, he served as the secretary of the Administrative Safety Committee, the secretary of the National Assembly Special Committee on the Itaewon Tragedy, and the chair of the Administrative Safety Committee, where he was recognized as a mediator in negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties and a policy designer.
In the 22nd general election, he was re-elected for a third term and is now considered one of the most prominent senior members in the National Assembly.
Immediately after being elected as chair of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee, Kim emphasized, “South Korea has risen to the ranks of advanced nations in terms of national defense and economy, but the core driving force for maintaining sustainable competitiveness among advanced nations is culture.”
“The Korean Wave, which began with K-pop, has now expanded to include dramas, movies, food, tourism, and even traditional culture such as traditional music and cultural properties.
“Now is the time to prepare for the era of K-culture beyond K-Hallyu." Kim presented key goals such as leaping forward as a cultural powerhouse, expanding sports infrastructure, attracting more foreign tourists, preserving cultural properties and promoting traditional arts, and digitizing the cultural industry.
In addition to his political activities, Kim has consistently contributed to the fields of culture and sports. In particular, he has listened closely to the voices of those in the field while serving as the auditor of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, the executive committee member of the 2014 Incheon Asian Para Games, and the vice president of the Korean Sports Council Mass Sports (2018-2020).
In the 21st National Assembly, he took the lead in proposing the Traditional Music Promotion Act to establish a systematic institutional foundation for the preservation and succession of traditional music. Kim's these background supports the assessment that he is the right person to coordinate cultural and sports policies in an integrated manner.
Representing the Seo-gu Gap district in Incheon, Representative Kim Kyo-heung is a local politician who has pledged to promote balanced cultural policies at the national level.
He stated, “Culture is not the exclusive domain of the capital region; a true cultural powerhouse can only be achieved when regional lifestyles flourish,” expressing his intention to focus on policies for balanced cultural development, such as eliminating cultural disparities between regions, promoting traditional culture, and revitalizing local tourism resources.
Key career highlights of Kim Kyo-heung, Chair of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee
Born in 1960 / Hometown: Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province
Graduated from Incheon University with a degree in political science and diplomacy
Completed doctoral course in political science at Dongguk University Graduate School
17th, 21st, and 22nd National Assembly member (Democratic Party, Incheon Seo-gu Gap)
Chair of the 21st National Assembly Administrative Safety Committee
Secretary General of the National Assembly (ministerial level)
Chief Secretary of National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun
Vice Mayor for Political Affairs, Incheon Metropolitan City
Auditor, 2014 Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee
Vice Chairman, Korean Sports Council Mass Sports
Representative proposer of the Korean Traditional Music Promotion Act
Vice Floor Leader, Democratic Party
Senior Vice Secretary General
Head of the National Participation Headquarters, the 20th Presidential Election Campaign Committee
Served as Incheon Committee Chair of the “Alleyway Campaign Committee”
Chairman Kim Kyo-heung stated that he will continue to take responsibility for realizing cultural policies that are tangible to the people in order to make South Korea a “nation respected for its culture” beyond its defense capabilities and industrial infrastructure.
His policy vision, sense of balance, and understanding of the field as Chairman of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee are expected to drive the development of culture, sports, and tourism policies in the National Assembly in the future.
