KIM Geon-il was born in Jeju in 1958. He worked as a reporter at Jeju MBC for over 30 years and later served as the CEO of Halla Ilbo. He currently serves as the chairman of the Jeju Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development, and as the director of Jeju Tourism University. During his tenure as a reporter, he won the Korea Reporter Award and the Korea Broadcasting Awards. His interests include researching the preservation of Jeju's natural environment and its future society.