'Top Student and Youngest Breadwinner' Kim Hong-il Was Baek Jong-won's Home Tutor

Baek Seung-tak Lived for 3 Years in Former Chungnam Education Superintendent's Official Residence
Also Served as Private Tutor for 5-Year-Old Baek Jong-won at the Time

Kim Hong-il (67), chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, who has been nominated as the new chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, was revealed to have worked as a private tutor for Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, during Baek’s high school years.

According to the Daejeon Ilbo on the 7th, Kim is a graduate of Yesan High School, class of the 3rd cohort, and had a connection with Baek Seung-tak, former Superintendent of Education of Chungnam Province and Baek Jong-won’s father (currently Honorary Chairman of Yeduk Academy). When Kim was attending Yesan High School, Baek Seung-tak was the principal of the school.

Kim was born in 1956 in Yesan, Chungnam, as the eldest son among two sons and two daughters. After graduating first in his class from Imseong Middle School in Yesan, he entered Yesan High School, but due to financial difficulties, continuing his studies was challenging. To make matters worse, he lost his mother when he was in elementary school and his father during high school, becoming the head of the household at a young age.

Nominee for Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission Kim Hong-il (left), Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea [Image source=Presidential Office·Yonhap News]

Upon hearing his story, former Superintendent Baek allowed Kim to live in the official residence for three years and provided scholarships to support his studies. While living at the Baek family residence, Kim tutored Baek’s children, including Baek Jong-won, who was five years old at the time.

Kim graduated from Yesan High School in 1972 and entered Chungnam National University Law School in 1975 as a full scholarship student. In 1982, he passed the 24th Judicial Examination (15th Judicial Research and Training Institute). He was also the first person from Chungnam National University to pass the bar exam.

After becoming a prosecutor, Kim frequently visited his mentor, former Superintendent Baek, and was also known to regularly donate scholarships to his alma mater’s scholarship foundation.

Meanwhile, President Yoon Suk-yeol nominated Kim as the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission on the 6th.

Kim Dae-gi, Chief Secretary of the Presidential Office, said on the same day, “After retiring from the prosecution in 2013 as the head of the Busan High Prosecutors’ Office, Kim has worked as a lawyer for over 10 years and has served in various legal and public service roles, including chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. He is a fair and warm legal professional fully prepared to dedicate himself solely to the people.”