# Park Won-soon

> Korean lawyer, Mayor of Seoul (1956-2020)

**Wikidata**: [Q22803](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22803)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Won-soon)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/park-won-soon

## Summary
Park Won-soon was a South Korean lawyer and politician who served as the Mayor of Seoul from 2011 until his death in 2020. A human rights advocate, he was recognized internationally with the Ramon Magsaysay Award and domestically with honors such as the Korean Buddhist Human Rights Award.

## Biography
- **Born:** March 26, 1956
- **Nationality:** South Korea
- **Education:** Dankook University; London School of Economics and Political Science; University of London
- **Known for:** Serving as the Mayor of Seoul and his career as a human rights lawyer
- **Employer(s):** Seoul Metropolitan Government; Seoul
- **Field(s):** Law; Politics

## Contributions
Park Won-soon's primary professional contribution was his tenure as the Mayor of Seoul, the capital and largest city of South Korea, a role he held from 2011 to 2020. During this period, he was employed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, leading the administration of a megacity with a population of over 9.6 million people. His work in the field of law and human rights was acknowledged through several prestigious awards, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Korean Buddhist Human Rights Award, and the designation of Honorable New Knowledge Worker of Korea.

## FAQs
**What was Park Won-soon's role in government?**
Park Won-soon served as the Mayor of Seoul, the head of the executive branch for the Seoul Metropolitan Government, from 2011 until his death in 2020.

**Where did Park Won-soon receive his education?**
He attended Dankook University in South Korea, as well as the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of London in the United Kingdom.

**What awards did Park Won-soon receive?**
He was the recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Korean Buddhist Human Rights Award, and was named an Honorable New Knowledge Worker of Korea.

**What were Park Won-soon's professions?**
He worked as a lawyer, a legal professional classified as a subclass of a jurist, and as a politician holding government positions.

## Why They Matter
Park Won-soon holds significance as the leader of Seoul, the political, economic, and cultural center of South Korea, during a decade of its modern history. His recognition with the Ramon Magsaysay Award, a major national award in the Philippines, underscores the international impact of his work in governance and human rights. As a mayor, he was part of the lineage of leadership governing the Seoul Special City, a critical entity in the East Asian region and a global hub for innovation and infrastructure.

## Notable For
- **Mayor of Seoul:** Served as the mayor of South Korea's capital city from 2011 to 2020.
- **Ramon Magsaysay Award:** Recipient of this prestigious award established in 1958.
- **Human Rights Advocacy:** Received the Korean Buddhist Human Rights Award for his efforts.
- **Educational Background:** Educated at Dankook University, the London School of Economics, and the University of London.
- **Legal Career:** Established career as a lawyer and legal professional.

## Body

### Identity and Nationality
Park Won-soon was a human and a citizen of South Korea. His nationality placed him within the context of the Republic of Korea, a sovereign state in East Asia with a presidential constitutional republic government. He is recorded under various names and aliases, including Park Won-sun, Park Won-Soon, and his native name 박원순 (Park Won-soon).

### Education
Park Won-soon pursued higher education at several notable institutions. He attended Dankook University, a private university in South Korea founded in 1947. He also studied in the United Kingdom at the London School of Economics and Political Science, a public university in London established in 1895, and the University of London, a federal research university founded in 1836. This educational background connected him to the academic traditions of both South Korea and the UK.

### Professional Career
Park Won-soon's professional life was defined by two primary occupations: lawyer and politician.

**Legal Profession**
As a lawyer, Park Won-soon belonged to a legal profession recognized globally as an academic degree and occupation group. This field, classified under ISCO-08 code 2611, involves the practice of law and legal engineering. The profession is distinct from other legal roles such as "attorney at law" or "legal advocate in France" in certain classifications, and is symbolically associated with the scales of justice (⚖️).

**Political Career**
His political career was centered in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. He was employed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the city of Seoul itself. Seoul is a Special City and a megacity with a 2020 population of 9,668,465, serving as the administrative center of the nation. Park Won-soon served as the Mayor of Seoul, holding the highest office in the city's executive branch from 2011 until July 9, 2020. In this capacity, he succeeded Oh Se-hoon (who served from 2006–2011) and preceded Oh Se-hoon's return to the office in 2021.

### Awards and Recognition
Throughout his career, Park Won-soon received significant recognition for his work:
*   **Ramon Magsaysay Award:** He received this award, which is a national honor in the Philippines established in 1958.
*   **Korean Buddhist Human Rights Award:** This South Korean award was conferred upon him in recognition of his human rights advocacy.
*   **Honorable New Knowledge Worker of Korea:** He received this specific South Korean honor, acknowledging his contributions to the nation's intellectual and professional landscape.

### Death
Park Won-soon passed away on July 9, 2020. His death marked the end of his tenure as Mayor of Seoul, leading to a transition in the city's leadership.

### Identifiers and Metadata
Park Won-soon is cataloged in numerous global information systems with the following identifiers:
*   **ISNI:** 0000000027785857
*   **VIAF:** 75413030
*   **Library of Congress Control Number:** n88194986
*   **IdRef (SUDOC):** 116767200
*   **NDL (Japan):** 00924473
*   **Bibliothèque nationale de France:** 401358801
*   **RERO:** 242970
*   **CiNii:** 545596
*   **Korea Copyright Commission:** KAC200411169
*   **National Library of Korea ID:** 33XXXXX33083
*   **Freebase ID:** /m/0hglt95
*   **YouTube Channel ID:** UCokYEohXuS2NH1Rld-Ssu4A (associated with Seoul City during his tenure)

## References

1. [Biography - Park Won-soon. Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize](https://www.leekuanyewworldcityprize.com.sg/about/prize-jury/prize-council/park-won-soon/)
2. [박원순 압승 ‘첫 3선 서울시장’…여당 간판 정치인 발돋움원문보기. 2018](http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/assembly/848980.html)
3. [How the dramatic death of Seoul's mayor left a country divided. 2020](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/10/asia/south-korea-mayor-death-reaction-intl-hnk/index.html)
4. [‘I’m Sorry to Everyone’: In Death, South Korean Mayor Is Tainted by Scandal. 2020](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/10/world/asia/seoul-mayor-dead.html)
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. [박원순 서울시장 북악산 숙정문 인근서 숨진 채 발견. Yonhap News Agency](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20200710000900004)
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. [Mayor killed himself: police. The Korea Times](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2020/07/356_292647.html)
9. Davos 2016 Participant List