Suh Young-duk, a Korean lawyer, was elected as the new leader of an association of Korean alumni of American University in Washington D.C., the association said Thursday.

He will succeed Chung Joo-taek, president of Hansung University in Seoul, to head the association.

The 53-year-old Daegu native is an auditor of the National Health Insurance Service and also sits on the board of the Korean Bar Association. He recently opened a practice in Seoul.

He unsuccessfully ran as an independent candidate for a seat in the National Assembly representing a Daegu constituency last April.

Suh earned a master’s degree in law from American University in 1996. The association consists of about 200 alumni.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)