Kwon Young-se

In this Korean name, the family name is Kwon.

The Honourable Kwon Young-se MP
권영세
Kwon in 2025
Chairman of the Emergency Response Committee of the People's Power Party
Ad Interim
In office 30 December 2024 – 10 May 2025
Preceded by	Kweon Seong-dong
Succeeded by	Kweon Seong-dong
Minister of Unification
In office 16 May 2022 – 28 July 2023
President	Yoon Suk Yeol
Prime Minister	Han Duck-soo
Preceded by	Lee In-young
Succeeded by	Kim Yung-ho
Member of the National Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 May 2020
Preceded by	Chin Young
Constituency	Yongsan (Seoul)
In office 8 August 2002 – 29 May 2012
Preceded by	Kim Min-seok
Succeeded by	Shin Kyoung-min
Constituency	Yeongdeungpo B (Seoul)
South Korean Ambassador to China
In office 1 June 2013 – 26 March 2015
President	Park Geun-hye
Preceded by	Lee Kyu-hyung
Succeeded by	Kim Jang-soo
Personal details
Born	(1959-04-01) 1 April 1959 Seoul, South Korea
Party	People Power
Alma mater	Seoul National University (LLB, LLM) Harvard University (MPA)
Military service
Allegiance	South Korea
Branch/service	Republic of Korea Air Force
Years of service	1986–1989
Rank	Captain (Korean: 대위)
Unit	Military advocate
Korean name
Hangul	권영세
Hanja	權寧世
RR	Gwon Yeongse
MR	Kwŏn Yŏngse

Kwon Young-se (Korean: 권영세; born 1 April 1959) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who is currently serving as the member for Yongsan in the National Assembly. A member of the People Power Party, he is often described as a moderate conservative within his party. He previously served in the National Assembly as the member for Yeongdeungpo B from 2002 to 2012.

Early life

Kwon Yeong-se was born on February 24, 1959 in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. He graduated from the Seoul National University School of Law and passed his bar examination in 1983. He later received his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Election results

General elections

Year	Elections	Constituency	Political party	Votes (%)	Results
2002	2002 By-election	Yeongdeungpo B (Seoul)	GNP	20,976 (54.91%)	Won
2004	17th National Assembly General Election	Yeongdeungpo B (Seoul)	GNP	41,432 (43.39%)	Won
2008	18th National Assembly General Election	Yeongdeungpo B (Seoul)	GNP	38,537 (57.57%)	Won
2012	19th National Assembly General Election	Yeongdeungpo B (Seoul)	Saenuri	40,950 (47.39%)	Defeated
2016	20th National Assembly General Election	Yeongdeungpo B (Seoul)	Saenuri	32,341 (37.70%)	Defeated
2020	21st National Assembly General Election	Yongsan (Seoul)	UFP	63,891 (47.80%)	Won
2024	22nd National Assembly General Election	Yongsan (Seoul)	PPP	66,583 (51.77%)	Won

Career

Prior to becoming a politician, Kwon worked as a public prosecutor. He entered politics when he was nominated as the Grand National Party's candidate for Yeongdeungpo B in the 2002 South Korean by-elections after former member Kim Min-seok's resignation in order to run in the Seoul Mayoral election. Kwon was elected with 54.9% of the vote in the election. He was re-elected in his constituency in the 2004 election and the 2008 election, but failed to be re-elected in the 2012 election.

While not a member of the National Assembly, he actively supported Park Geun-hye's campaign in the 2012 South Korean presidential election. He was then appointed by President Park Geun-hye to serve as South Korea's Ambassador to China in early 2013. He returned to South Korea in March 2015 and was succeeded by Kim Jang-soo.

Upon his return to South Korea, he once again ran as the Saenuri Party's candidate for the Yeongdeungpo B constituency in the 2016 South Korean legislative election. However, he was defeated by incumbent Shin Kyoung-min.

In the 2020 South Korean legislative election, Kwon narrowly defeated Democratic candidate Kang Tae-woong in the Yongsan constituency race, returning to the National Assembly as a member after eight years.