Kim Jong-pil, a master South Korean politician, passed away last week at the age of 92. He was a wily survivor, who among other highlights of a long, distinguished career, served twice as prime minister and helped engineer normalization between Japan and South Korea. A fervent nationalist, Kim was a pragmatist who put the national interest above ideology. His career is a lesson for all who seek to serve their country.
Kim was born in Buyeo, in South Chungcheong Province, and enjoyed strong support from his home province throughout his political career. He graduated from the Korea Military Academy, and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was a key member of the 1961 coup that put Maj. Gen. Park Chung-hee in office. One of Kim's first assignments in the new government was creating the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), which he headed for several years before serving as prime minister, from 1971 to 1975.
After Park's assassination in 1979, Kim was accused of corruption by the new president, Gen. Chung Doo-hwan. He was forced to surrender his property and he moved to the United States, where he remained until South Korea's democratization was launched. He returned home, formed his own conservative political party but failed to win the presidential election in 1987. The next year he ran for and won election to the National Assembly, a post he held until retiring from politics in 2004. His nine terms as a representative is among the most by any South Korean politician.