Cho Hyun, a veteran diplomat with extensive experience in both bilateral and multilateral diplomacy — including key postings at the United Nations — and deep expertise in trade issues, has been tapped as the Lee administration’s first foreign minister.
Cho previously held the roles of first and second vice foreign minister, and served as South Korea’s ambassador to the UN — all under the liberal Moon Jae-in administration, overlapping with the first Trump presidency.
“He is expected to take an active role in addressing key pending matters such as tariff negotiations and Middle East affairs,” Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik said during a briefing Monday.
Cho’s diplomatic career includes serving as ambassador to India from 2015 to 2017, and as ambassador to Austria and permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna from 2011 to 2014. He also held the post of deputy permanent representative to the UN in New York from 2006 to 2008.
Within the Foreign Ministry, Cho has held numerous high-level positions, including deputy minister for multilateral and global affairs, ambassador for energy and resources, and director-general of the Ministry’s International Economic Affairs Bureau.
Cho was involved in negotiations for a Korea-Japan free trade agreement and served as chief negotiator for the Korea-Mexico FTA.
Cho received a Ph.D. in international politics from the University of Toulouse in France in 2008, and holds M.A. degrees from the School of Political Science in Paris and from Columbia University. Cho earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and diplomacy from Yonsei University in Seoul.
dagyumji@heraldcorp.com
