KOREA FOUNDATION

Inauguration of New KF President Kim Gheewhan

On September 19, Kim Gheewhan was inaugurated as the KF’s 14th president in a ceremony at KF’s headquarters in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. Kim received his letter of appointment on September 16.

Kim is a career diplomat who joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1983 by passing the 17th Foreign Service Exam. Having worked for decades in international relations and trade, he is expected to further the agenda of the KF, the nation’s only government-designated promoter of public diplomacy.

In his inauguration speech, Kim thanked employees for its public diplomacy efforts of the past 30 years and presented his vision on tackling serious global issues and the changing social, political, and economic environments caused by such issues.

He also pledged to pursue public diplomacy with the government to make Korea a “global pivot country” to contribute to global freedom, peace, and prosperity; strengthen digital diplomacy; and cooperate with government-wide efforts to earn Busan the right to host the 2030 World Expo. He added that he will actively strive to enhance communication within the KF.

Kim graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Law in 1981 and earned a master’s degree in law (LL.M) from the University of Cambridge in 1990. At MOFA, he headed the task force for hosting the 2012 Yeosu World Expo and served as director-general for multilateral trade, ambassador at the Korean Embassy in Washington DC, and consul-general at the Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea in New York.

KF14th presidentKim GheewhanInauguration