Prior to his MP career, he briefly served as the Minister of Agriculture, Fishery, and Food under the President Lee Myung-bak.
[1][2] After he earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Korea University, he built polytunnels in Haenam to cultivate New Zealand kiwis.
[1][3] He named the kiwis as Chamdarae,[2] and the business was successful,[1] despite several crises — Typhoon Thelma in 1987,[3] market liberalisation in 1989,[3] and warehouse fire in 1999.
[1][2][3] Though his success was later even mentioned in several textbooks,[1][2] a former Democratic Labour MP Kang Ki-kap criticised that Chung's business was operated with government grants.
[9] Following his dismissal, Chung wrote a book Tangy (撲鼻香, named after a poem of Huangbo Xiyun) which talks about a hardship during his ministership.
[22] Following the resignation of Lee, he launched his another bid for the snap leadership election,[23] but also came to 3rd and lost to Yoo Seong-min, and therefore remained as a Vice President.
[27] Two days later, he was elected as the co-Presidents of the newly-formed New Conservative Party, along with Ha Tae-keung, Oh Shin-hwan, Yoo Ui-dong, and Ji Sang-wook.