By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
Kim Sung-jin, who served as minister of culture and communication between 1975 and 1980 under former President Park Chung-hee, died of an illness, Thursday. He was 77.
Kim began a journalistic career in 1957 when he entered the now-defunct Oriental News Agency in Seoul.
After working as a correspondent to Washington and political editor at the agency, he was named presidential spokesman in 1971.
After serving as minister of culture and communication, he worked as president of the news agency and the first president of Yonhap News Agency between 1980 and 1983.
He also served as a member of the 1988 Seoul Olympics Organizing Committee, president of the Seoul Press Foundation and ambassador to Singapore.
He is survived by his wife, Han Jeong-soo, two sons and a daughter. A funeral service will be held at the Seoul National University Hospital, Saturday.