Kim Sungjoo to Run for Haenam County Governor in June... Publishes Autobiography "515 Village Journeys"

"Kim Sungjoo's One Step" to be unveiled at Haenam Culture and Arts Center on February 1
"The secret to saving the bankrupt cooperative was being in the field; the same applies to Haenam"

Former Haenam County Fisheries Cooperative Chairman Kim Sungjoo has published an autobiography chronicling his two-year journey across Haenam, meeting with local residents.

Kim will hold a book launch event for his autobiography, "Kim Sungjoo's One Step," at the Haenam Culture and Arts Center at 2 p.m. on February 1. The autobiography includes accounts of his tours to 515 villages, visits to commercial districts in 14 towns and townships, and the voices of residents he encountered in the field, along with key local issues.

Former Haenam County Fisheries Cooperative Chairman Sungjoo Kim will hold a book launch event for his autobiography, "Sungjoo Kim's One Step," at the Haenam Culture and Arts Center. Photo provided by Sungjoo Kim's office

During his 13-year tenure as chairman of the Haenam County Fisheries Cooperative, he normalized the cooperative, which had been on the brink of bankruptcy. He expanded the cooperative's business and achieved a turnaround to profitability by establishing a seafood food hub complex (15 billion won), constructing a cold storage facility for seafood (4 billion won), relocating and building a new headquarters, setting up duty-free fuel supply facilities, and securing abalone supply contracts for the military.

Kim is planning to run as a candidate for Haenam County Governor in the nationwide local elections scheduled for June this year.

In the preface to his autobiography, he wrote, "For 13 years, I served as chairman of the Haenam County Fisheries Cooperative, tirelessly working along the coast. I met people day and night, and Haenam Fisheries Cooperative not only normalized but also became a profitable cooperative."

He began traveling extensively throughout Haenam after meeting National Assemblyman Park Jie-won during the 22nd general election two years ago. Since October 2024, he has kept a daily record of his activities. To improve his writing, he even received training from a professional.

He said, "From large and small events in Haenam to touring 515 villages and 14 town and township commercial districts, I met residents everywhere." He added that, through this process, he experienced the importance of democracy during the 12·3 Martial Law, the impeachment crisis, and the 21st presidential election.

He emphasized, "No matter how minor a civil complaint may seem, it represents the lives and happiness of the residents. The countless fragments of complaints and wishes eventually come together to form a major agenda and become the foundation for future planning."

Kim enrolled in the Kim Dae-jung Academy to learn about the role of a leader. After finishing early morning field tours, he would take the KTX train from Naju to the National Assembly, pass through Yongsan Station, and return home at 1 a.m., maintaining a demanding schedule.

He said, "President Kim Dae-jung recorded everything. No matter how small an opinion was, he documented it, reflected on it, and incorporated it into state affairs." Likewise, Kim ended each day by recording his schedule, gradually building his agenda.

He continued, "At first, I recorded my observations of the residents and surroundings like an observer, but as the records accumulated, so did the agenda. The voices and answers I found in the field through all those steps were about livelihoods and the lives of the people living in the present."