Im Jong-seok

Im Jong-seok
임종석
Chief of Staff to the President
In office
10 May 2017 – 8 January 2019
PresidentMoon Jae-in
Succeeded byNoh Young-min
Personal details
Born (1966-04-24) 24 April 1966 (age 58)
Jangheung, South Jeolla Province, South Korea
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materHanyang University
Signature
Korean name
Hangul
임종석
Hanja
Revised RomanizationIm Jongseok
McCune–ReischauerIm Chongsŏk

Im Jong-seok (Korean임종석; Hanja任鍾晳; born 24 April 1966) is a South Korean politician and former Chief of Staff for Moon Jae-in currently serving as Moon's Special Advisor for Foreign Affairs and Special Envoy to UAE.[1][2] Im served as Moon's chief of staff during the primary and 2017 presidential election.

Im previously served as vice/deputy mayor for political/state affairs under Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a two-term member of the National Assembly, and secretary-general of the Democratic Party of Korea.[3] He was a prominent student activist in the pro-democracy movement during the 1980s. Im was head of the National Council of Student Representatives in 1989 and served three and a half years in prison for facilitating Lim Su-kyung's unauthorized visit to North Korea in violation of the National Security Law.[4]

Im supports engagement with North Korea.

  1. ^ asia.nikkei.com/print/article/259706
  2. ^ "Arirang Mobile". arirang.co.kr. Retrieved 15 July 2017.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ mengnews.joins.com/view.aspx?aId=3033197
  4. ^ "(profile) Ex-student activist tapped as Moon's chief of staff". Yonhap. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2019.