Kim Wan-ju (; born May 25, 1946) is a South Korean politician who was the 32nd governor of the South Korean province of

North Jeolla North Jeolla Province, officially Jeonbuk State (), is a Special Self-governing Province of South Korea in the Honam region in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. Jeonbuk borders the provinces of South Chungcheong to the north, North Gyeo ...

from 2006 to 2014; he was also the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of the South Korean city of

Jeonju Jeonju (, , ) is the capital and List of cities in South Korea, largest city of North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is both urban and rural due to the closeness of Wanju County which almost entirely surrounds Jeonju (Wanju County has many resi ...

from 1998 to 2006. During his tenure, Kim was a strong proponent of regional development, historical preservation and new paradigms of local and decentralized government.

Early life and education

Kim was born in what is now

North Jeolla Province North Jeolla Province, officially Jeonbuk State (), is a Special Self-governing Province of South Korea in the Honam region in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. Jeonbuk borders the provinces of South Chungcheong to the north, North Gyeo ...

Wanju County Wanju County (, ) is a county in North Jeolla province, South Korea. It almost entirely surrounds the city of Jeonju. History Ancient In the Three Han period it was part of the Mahan confederacy, and in 555 ( Wideok 2) Jeonju week was installed ...

in May 1946. He graduated from the Jeonju Nam-jung School in 1962 and graduated from Jeonju High School in 1965. He received a Bachelor's in Political Science from

Seoul National University Seoul National University (SNU; ) is a public university, public research university in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the SKY (universities), SKY universities and a part of the Flagship Korean National Universities. The university's main c ...

(SNU) in 1970 and graduated from SNU's Graduate School of Public Administration in 1963. In 1987, he received a Master's in Urban Planning from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

in the U.S.

Career

*Passed the 14th Administrative Examination in 1973 *1974–1980: Chonbuk Provincial Planning Division Manager *1980–1981: Chonbuk Provincial Office Deputy Director-General *1988–1988: Planning Officer, Chonbuk Provincial Office *1991–1992: Presidential Office of the President *1994: Representative of Namwon's mayor in North Jeolla Province *1994–1995: The 7th and 8th North Jeolla Province Namwon Market *1995–1996: Chief of Planning and Management of North Jeolla Province *1998: Director of the Korea Sports Council *July 1, 1998 – March 10, 2006: Mayor of the City of Jeonju (re-election) **2001–2004 Member of Local Transportation Committee **2003: Chairperson of the Decentralization Special Promotion Committee **2003: Chairman of the Council of the Mayor of the Mayor of the National Market *July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2014: 32nd Governor of North Jeolla Province do in 33rd (re-election)

Personal life

Kim is a member of the

Gwangsan Kim clan The Gwangsan Kim clan () is a Korean clan with its bon-gwan located in Gwangsan, present-day Gwangju. The members of the Gwangsan Kim clan are the descendants of Kim Hŭng-gwang (), the third son of Sinmu of Silla, King Sinmu of Silla, the 45th ...

References

Living people 1946 births 20th-century mayors of places in South Korea 21st-century mayors of places in South Korea Governors of North Jeolla Province South Korean expatriates in the United States {{SouthKorea-mayor-stub