Park Jie-won

Park Jie-won (; born 5 June 1942) is a South Korean politician who served as Director of the National Intelligence Service. He was the chief presidential secretary to President Kim Dae-jung, and served as the Minister of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and coined the term "Esports" during his administration. On 9 April 2008, he was elected as a member of 18th National Assembly of South Korea for Mokpo as an independent. After being elected, he returned to the Democratic Party. In May 2012, he became the floor leader for the Democratic United Party.

Early life and education Park Jie-won attended Moontae High School in Mokpo and graduated in 1960. Park studied business in Dankook University and graduated in 1969. Park joined Lucky Goldstar (now LG) in 1970.

Life in the United States Park Jie-won immigrated to the United States in 1972, and became popular among the expat Korean community. He was elected to become the 16th President of the Korean American Association of Greater New York and subsequently became the 4th President of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA.

Scandal Park Jie-won was charged with abusing his power and violating domestic laws on foreign exchange trade and inter-Korean cooperation affairs while orchestrating covert money transfers by Hyundai to North Korea. He played a pivotal role in arranging the first Inter-Korean summit between South and North Korean leader in June 2000. Hyundai transferred $500 million to the North just months before the summit, triggering criticism that S.Korean Government paid for the summit. Hyundai claimed the money was a payment for exclusive business rights in electric power facilities, communication lines, an industrial park, cross-border roads and railway lines in North Korea.

In December 2003, he was sentenced to twelve years in prison for his role in the Cash-for-summit scandal. Park was temporarily released for medical treatment in November 2006, and was released in February 2007. He was later pardoned in December 2007, which enabled him to run for a legislative election in April 2008. He was defeated in the 2020 election and lost his seat.

Director of the National Intelligence Service On 3 July 2020, Park was nominated the Director of the National Intelligence Service. He was finally appointed to the position on 28 July. In December 2020, the Moon administration subsequently passed a reform bill to remove the NIS's involvement in domestic intelligence and activities and transferring of such powers to the National Police Agency. Park, on behalf of the NIS, proclaimed that the agency would never meddle in domestic politics again. He was accused of involvement in the coverup of the 2020 murder of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korean soldiers near the Northern Limit Line, but was acquitted in 2025.

Election results Year Elections Constituency Political party Votes (%) Results 1992 14th National Assembly General Election National (21st) Democratic 6,004,578 (29.17%) Elected 1996 15th National Assembly General Election Bucheon Sosa (Gyeonggi) NCNP 31,786 (37.25%) Defeated 2008 18th National Assembly General Election Mokpo (South Jeolla) Independent 45,415 (53.59%) Won 2012 19th National Assembly General Election Mokpo (South Jeolla) DUP 63,705 (71.17%) Won 2016 20th National Assembly General Election Mokpo (South Jeolla) People's 58,630 (56.38%) Won 2020 21st National Assembly General Election Mokpo (South Jeolla) Minsaeng 47,528 (37.34%) Defeated 2024 22nd National Assembly General Election Haenam-Wando-Jindo (South Jeolla) Democratic 78,324 (92.35%) Won