Kim Byung-joo (general)

Kim Byung-joo (Korean김병주; Hanja金炳周, born 7 February 1962 in Yecheon County) is a Korean Politician and retired Four star General in the Republic of Korea Army. He was the 27th deputy commander of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command and is a current member of the Korean National Assembly.

Kim Byung-joo
김병주
Member of the National Assembly
Assumed office
May 30, 2020
ConstituencyProportional representation
Personal details
Born (1962-02-07) 7 February 1962 (age 62)
Yecheon County, South Korea
Political partyDemocratic Party of Korea
Other political
affiliations
Platform Party (2020)
Military service
Allegiance South Korea
Branch/serviceRepublic of Korea Army
Years of service1980–2019
RankGeneral
Commands28th Infantry Division (Rep. Korea)
United States Central Command
ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command
Joint Chiefs of Staff (Rep. Korea)
6th Infantry Division (Rep. Korea)
2nd Artillery Brigade (Rep. Korea)
30th Infantry Division (Rep. Korea)
Army Missile Command (Rep. Korea)
3rd Army (Rep. Korea)
Korean name
Hangul
김병주
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGim Byeong-ju
McCune–ReischauerKim Pyŏngchu

Career

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In 1980, he joined the Korea Military Academy and served among others as artillery officer in the Korean Army and liaison officer at the United States Central Command. 2017, he became the first four star general in South Korea with a missile command background and at the same time, he assumed command of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command as deputy commander behind Vincent K. Brooks.[1] He retired in April 2019.

Afterwards, he joined the Democratic Party of Korea and was elected in 2020 South Korean legislative election as a proportional representative to the 21st Korean National Assembly, where he engaged in legislative activities. He also served as the Chairman of the National Defense and Security Special Committee and the Chairman of the 2nd Policy Coordination Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea.[2]

In 2024 South Korean legislative election, he ran as a Democratic Party candidate in Namyangju- eul, Gyeonggi Province, and was successfully re-elected. He is currently working on the National Assembly Defense Committee, taking advantage of his military career.

References

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  1. ^ "Former No. 2 at ROK-US combined forces command joins ruling party". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  2. ^ "The ruling party recruits the former general Kim Byung-joo as third new member for the general election" (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
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