Bae Jae-jung

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Bae Jae-jung
배재정
Secretary to the President for Political Affairs
In office
1 September 2020 – 20 June 2021
PresidentMoon Jae-in
Preceded byKim Gwang-jin
Succeeded byKim Han-kyu
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister
In office
12 June 2017 – 5 November 2018
Prime MinisterLee Nak-yeon
Preceded byShim Oh-taek
Succeeded byJoung Wun-hyun
Member of the National Assembly
In office
30 May 2012 – 29 May 2016
Constituencyproportional representation
Personal details
Born (1968-02-16) 16 February 1968 (age 56)
Busan, South Korea
Political partydemocratic
Alma materBusan National University
ReligionRoman Catholicism

Bae Jae-jung (Korean배재정; Hanja裵在禎; born 16 February 1968) is a South Korean politician previously served as the Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon's first chief of staff. She is the first woman to lead the Prime Minister's Secretariat (PMS) since its creation in 1960s.[1]

Bae is one-term parliamentarian of now-ruling party, Democratic Party of Korea. During her term from 2012 to 2016, she took various roles in her party such as a member of Emergency Planning Commission in 2013, a spokesperson from 2013 to 2014 and vice-chair of Policy Committee from 2014 to 2015. Additionally, she worked as the deputy chief of staff to Moon Jae-in's first presidential campaign in 2012.

After then-parliamentarian Moon Jae-in was elected as the party leader and therefore announced that he will not seek for re-election in 2016 general election, she was chosen as a democratic candidate to replace him at the National Assembly. Unfortunately, she lost the election by less than 2,000 votes.

After serving as the chief of staff to Lee Nak-yeon, the first Prime Minister of President Moon Jae-in, she ran for the same constituency in the 2020 general election[2] but lost again.[3] In September 2020 she was brought back to the administration now serving as the President's secretary for political affairs.[4]

Before entering politics, she worked as a Busan Ilbo's journalist for almost two decades from 1989 to 2007 and a ranking member of its trade union.[5]

Bae holds a bachelor's degree in English language and literature and completed master's programme in arts, culture and videography from Busan National University in 1990 and 2012 respectively.

Electoral history[edit]

Election Year District Party Affiliation Votes Percentage of votes Results
19th National Assembly General Election 2012 Proportional Representation Democratic United Party 7,777,123 36.45% Won
20th National Assembly General Election 2016 Busan Sasang Democratic Party 41,055 35.87% Lost
21st National Assembly General Election 2020 Busan Sasang Democratic Party 59,346 46.5% Lost
2016 South Korean legislative election : Sasang District
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Chang Je-won 42,924 37.50
Democratic Bae Jae-jung 41,005 35.87
Saenuri Son Su-jo 30,463 26.61
Total votes 115,903 100.0
Independent gain from Saenuri
2020 South Korean legislative election : Sasang District
Party Candidate Votes %
United Future Chang Je-won 66,353 52.03
Democratic Bae Jae-jung 59,346 46.54
Total votes 129,101 100.0
United Future hold

References[edit]

  1. ^ "역대실장" [List of Chief of Staff to PM] (in Korean).
  2. ^ "배재정 국무총리 비서실장, 21대 총선 준비 위해 사임". The Hankyoreh (in Korean). 2018-11-02. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  3. ^ "[선택 2020] 부산남자 장제원, 배재정 꺾고 3선 고지 우뚝". NewsPim (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  4. ^ "청와대 비서관급 인사…배재정·김광진·윤재관 등 6명". The Hankyoreh (in Korean). 2020-08-31. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  5. ^ "첫 여성 총리비서실장에 배재정 전 의원 임명(종합)" [First female PM's chief secretary Bae Jae-jung ex-MP appointed] (in Korean).