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Kim Kwan-jin

b. 1949

Former Defense Minister of South Korea

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About Kim Kwan-jin

Born 1949. Kim Kwan-jin is a South Korean politician.

Kim Kwan-jin (; born August 27, 1949) was Chief of South Korea the National Security Office under President Park Geun-hye, a position to which he was appointed in 2014. He was previously the 33rd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean armed forces and the Minister of National Defense.

Education Graduated, Seoul High School Bachelor of Science, Korea Military Academy (28th Graduating Class)

Career Kim previously served as Commanding General, 35th Infantry Division (1999–2000), Commanding General, II Corps (2002–2004), and Chief Director, Joint Operations Headquarters, Joint Chiefs of Staff (2004–2005). He was promoted to four-star general and assumed command of Third ROK Army in 2005. In 2006, he became the 33rd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replacing General Lee Sang-hee.

On March 28, 2008, he was replaced by General Kim Tae-young. Following incidents of the bombardment of Yeonpyeong, he was selected to replace Kim Tae-young as a new National Defense Minister of the Republic of Korea on November 26, 2010.

After the end of President Lee Myung-bak's term in office in February 2013, incoming President Park Geun-hye decided to retain Kim in his post of Defense Minister after Park's nominee Kim Byung-kwan was forced to resign under pressure over a series of alleged ethical lapses and North Korea's repeated war threats.

In February 2019, Kim was given a two-and-a-half year prison sentence for attempting to sway public opinion using Cyber Command to support the Park administration.

Honours 2008: Legion of Merit(USA)

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Korea Military Academy
Positions held
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director of the National Security Office of Korea, Minister of National Defence of South Korea
Awards
Legion of Merit

People in Kim Kwan-jin's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Kim Kwan-jin's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Kim Kwan-jin?

former Defense Minister of South Korea

When was Kim Kwan-jin born?

Kim Kwan-jin was born on 27 August 1949 in Jeonju.

What is Kim Kwan-jin's occupation?

Kim Kwan-jin is a politician.

What nationality is Kim Kwan-jin?

Kim Kwan-jin is South Korean.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Kim Kwan-jin

· Wikidata: Q486034

· DBpedia: Kim Kwan-jin

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Kim Kwan-jin. https://biography.guide/kim-kwan-jin/

MLA: "Kim Kwan-jin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/kim-kwan-jin/.

Chicago: "Kim Kwan-jin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/kim-kwan-jin/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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