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Kim Kyung-soo, newly appointed chair of the Presidential Committee for Balanced National Development, is seen in a photo shared on his Facebook page. / Source: Kim Kyung-soo Facebook

Kim Kyung-soo, newly appointed head of the Presidential Committee for Balanced National Development, pledged on June 29 to carry out President Lee Jae-myung’s key pledges, including the “5 Mega Regions and 3 Special Zones” strategy and the relocation of the administrative capital.

Kim, who will oversee coordination with central ministries and local governments, is tasked with crafting and executing a comprehensive plan for these initiatives, which form the backbone of President Lee’s national spatial strategy and regional development policy.

Writing on Facebook, Kim said, “The strategy of mega-regional cooperation through the 5 Mega Regions and 3 Special Zones, along with the relocation of the administrative capital to Sejong, will reshape the direction of Korea and redesign the structure of national governance.” He added, “I will ensure the success of President Lee’s pledges by building on the vision of balanced development first laid out by President Roh Moo-hyun.”

Kim emphasized that he would draw from his years of experience in the Blue House, the National Assembly, local government, and abroad to create “a greater Republic of Korea where everyone prospers no matter where they live, and a happier Korean people.”

A prominent figure from the pro-Moon Jae-in camp, Kim served under President Roh Moo-hyun as a policy aide and later held several posts in the Blue House under Moon, including speech planning secretary and public affairs secretary—earning him the nickname “Roh’s last secretary.”

He was elected to the 20th National Assembly and served as a spokesperson for Moon Jae-in’s 2017 presidential campaign, eventually becoming a central figure in the pro-Moon faction.

However, during the Moon administration, Kim was convicted in a high-profile case involving online opinion manipulation orchestrated by the so-called “Druking” group and served time in prison. He was pardoned last year under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, restoring his eligibility for public office. Following Lee Jae-myung’s nomination as presidential candidate, Kim returned to the political frontlines, serving as the Democratic Party’s chief campaign coordinator.