Do Jong-hwan

Do Jong-hwan studied at Chungbuk National University and Wonju High School. The recorded working language is Korean. Employment is recorded with Chungbuk Health & Science University. Positions recorded include Member of the National Assembly of South Korea and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

• Name — Do Jong-hwan • Born — 27 September 1955 • Birthplace — Cheongju, North Chungcheong, South Korea • Office1 — Leader of the Democratic Party • Status1 — Interim • Term Start1 — 8 April 2021 • Term End1 — 16 April 2021 • Predecessor1 — Kim Tae-nyeon (acting) • Successor1 — Yun Ho-jung (acting) • Office2 — Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism • Term Start2 — 16 June 2017 • Term End2 — 2 April 2019 • Predecessor2 — Cho Yoon-sun • Successor2 — Park Yang-woo • Prime Minister2 — Lee Nak-yeon • Office3 — Member of the National Assembly • Term Start3 — 30 May 2016 • Term End3 — 29 May 2024 • Constituency3 — Cheongju Heungdeok (North Chungcheong) • Predecessor3 — Noh Young-min • Successor3 — Lee Yeon-hee • Term Start4 — 30 May 2012 • Term End4 — 29 May 2016 • Constituency4 — Proportional representation • Party — Democratic • Term End — 3 April 2019 • Blank1 — Religion • Data1 — Roman Catholic (Christian name: Yoo Jin-ghil Augustine)

Do Jong-hwan was born in Cheongju, South Korea. He received his undergraduate and graduate education at Chungbuk National University, graduating in 1982 with a Master's in Korean Language and Literature. He became a school teacher and was a part-time poet until his wife died just two years after their marriage. This trauma resulted in his writing You, my hollyhock, a collection of love poems which brought him critical acclaim. After his wife's death, Do endeavored to embrace his life more fully. With the goal of improving educational standards, he served as the regional director for his teachers' union, and was also active as a regional leader for an organization promoting democracy. Though he lost his job as a teacher and was even jailed for his activities, he continued to fight for justice and better future for the Korean people. • Illustration — Minister Do in 2018 In the 2012 election he ran at large for the National Assembly under the Democratic Union Party proportional representation and was elected. Among other things he served on the Culture, Sports, Tourism and Broadcasting Communications Committee, and the History Textbook Committee. In 2016 he was re-elected as the member from the reconstituted Heungdeok District. • Illustration — Minister Do and Alphons Kannanthanam In 2017, he was appointed as the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. In 2020 he was elected as the chair of National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee responsible for scrutinising Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cultural Heritage Administration and related agencies. Following the Democratic Party's huge suffer in the 2021 by-elections, the party leadership was immediately collapsed. He then became the party's acting president.

• Year — Elections — Constituency — Political party — Votes (%) — Results • 2012 — 19th National Assembly General Election — Proportional representation (16th) — DUP — 7,777,123 (36.45%) — Elected • 2016 — 20th National Assembly General Election — Cheongju Heungdeok (North Chungcheong) — Democratic — 49,982 (45.75%) — Won • 2020 — 21st National Assembly General Election — Cheongju Heungdeok (North Chungcheong) — Democratic — 74,900 (55.80%) — Won

His first poem was published in 1982. But it was in 1986 with You, my hollyhock, written in part as a tribute to his deceased wife who reminded him of hollyhocks, where the poet's grief at the sudden loss of his love and the intense longing for the happiness he shared with his wife, made him famous. When he turns away "leaving a song by her grave," she follows him home "in the weeping of nameless insects;" when he heads home, "leaving a tear drop upon her grave," she becomes "the rain that soaks through the core of [his] body." In order to overcome his anguish and despair, the poet embraces the world with a new perspective. Through his suffering, the poet has realized that life must go on even if it is more painful than death. Since that time Do has also written about the issue of the division of Korea, depicting the difficulties of a single people living in a divided country. In his work Do suggests new possibilities for uniting the two Koreas. He has received a number of Korean literary prizes, including the Baekseok Literary Award in 2011 for From three to five and the Korean Literary Award for Literature in 2012 for Leaning on a tree.

• In Godumi Village (1985) • You, My Hollyhock (1986) • You Whom I Love (1988) • Who Are You (1993) • A Flower Falls in the Village of People (1994) • Soft Straight Line (1998) • The Root of Sorrow (2002)

Do Jong-hwan was born on 27 September 1955 in Cheongju. Jong-hwan held the nationality of South Korea. Jong-hwan was educated at Chungbuk National University and Wonju High School. Jong-hwan worked as writer, politician and poet. Jong-hwan held the posts of Member of the National Assembly of South Korea (2020), Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (2017–2019), Member of the National Assembly of South Korea (2016) and Member of the National Assembly of South Korea. Jong-hwan was employed by Chungbuk Health & Science University. Jong-hwan worked in Korean.