"My Wife Is Older... She Was Like Wonder Woman" Park Hongkeun Endured Miscarriage and Hardship Together, Calls Her "The Greatest Foundation of My Life" [Current Affairs Show][Spouse Profiles]②

Married at Kyung Hee University in 1999 while working as a Seoul civil servant
Met his wife Mikyung Jang during youth activities at the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice
"Sorry that we've never traveled abroad together"

■ Broadcast: The Asia Business Daily's 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show' (Monday to Friday, 4-5 PM)

■ Host: Political Specialist So Jongseop ■ Producer: Park Sumin

Editor's NoteThe year of the 6·3 local elections has begun. Candidates from both the ruling and opposition parties are announcing their bids. There is growing interest not only in who the candidates are and what policies they propose, but also in who their spouses are. 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show' is launching a new series called 'Spouse Profiles,' which introduces the spouses of candidates who have declared or are expected to declare their candidacy. ① Moon Hyejeong (spouse of Jeong Wonoh, Mayor of Seongdong District) ② Jang Mikyung (spouse of Representative Park Hongkeun)

Among the candidates in the Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul mayoral primary, Representative Park Hongkeun (Jungnang District B), who is serving his fourth term, was the first to announce his candidacy. On November 26 of last year, in front of Seoul City Hall, he declared, "Seoul has reached its limits in every area, including housing, transportation, care, AI, safety, and inequality. Change is only possible for Seoul if we work together with the Lee Jaemyung administration." Park pledged to expand the proportion of public housing tailored for young people and newlyweds, and to make village buses and the Seoul public bike system free of charge.

He was born in 1969 as the fifth of six siblings in Bongdeok-ri, Dodeok-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do. His father, who graduated from middle school, served as the village head. After graduating from Dodeok Elementary School and Doyang Middle School in Goheung, he attended Hyocheon High School in Suncheon. In 1988, he entered Kyung Hee University as a Korean Language and Literature major, where he served as president of the College of Humanities student council and president of the Kyung Hee University student council. He also served as acting chairperson of the National Council of Student Representatives. After graduation, he was active in organizations such as the Korean Youth Association. He worked as an aide to Assemblywoman Kim Sanghee and as a deputy spokesperson for the Democratic Party. From 1999 to June 2000, he also worked as a Seoul city government official.

There is one daughter between Representative Hongkeun Park and his spouse Mikyung Jang. Photo by Representative Hongkeun Park

When Representative Park began his political career as spokesperson for the United New Democratic Party in 2007, it was his spouse, Jang Mikyung, who laid the foundation for him. In 2001, Jang took out a loan to buy a house, then used that house as collateral to secure another loan to support his election campaign. In the 2012 19th general election, Park defeated candidate Yang Jeongcheol in the primary and became the Democratic United Party candidate for Jungnang B in Seoul, ultimately defeating Saenuri Party candidate Kang Dongho to become a member of the National Assembly. He has since been elected four consecutive times in Jungnang District B.

In the 2022 presidential election, Park was the first among three-term lawmakers in Seoul to declare his support for candidate Lee Jaemyung. Perhaps as a result, he served as chief of staff for the candidate, and when Lee became party leader, Park served as floor leader. After the launch of the Lee Jaemyung administration, Park was appointed head of the planning division of the National Policy Planning Committee, where he developed the five-year national policy roadmap.

Representative Hongkeun Park describes his wife Mikyung Jang as "like Wonder Woman." Photo by Representative Hongkeun Park

Representative Park met his spouse, Jang Mikyung, while she was active in the youth division of the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice and he was working as a Seoul city government official. The two were married in late October 1999 at the Crown Hall of Kyung Hee University. In his book , Park recalled, "The most difficult time was early in our marriage, when my wife had a miscarriage and I was not earning much because I was involved in civic movements." He added, "My wife was like Wonder Woman. While working at her job, she studied social welfare, cared for her ailing mother, raised our newborn daughter, volunteered at church, and played five roles at once. Thanks to my wife, I am who I am today. She is the greatest foundation of my life." Park also expressed regret, saying, "My wife is not good at expressing herself. We have one daughter, but the three of us, or even just my wife and I, have never traveled abroad together." Jang, who is originally from North Chungcheong Province, was active in labor unions for about ten years before marriage.

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Before becoming a member of the National Assembly, household chores such as washing dishes, sorting recyclables, and cleaning the house were Park's responsibilities. Although he is now too busy to do so, even after becoming a lawmaker, there is one thing he never fails to do on Sunday nights: ironing. While he sends his dress shirts to the cleaners, he still irons his suit pants himself.