[Profile] Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nominee... Veteran Diplomat with Experience as Both First and Second Vice Minister

On June 23, Cho Hyun, a former ambassador, was nominated as the first Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Lee Jaemyung administration. He is a career diplomat with a traditional background in foreign service.

Cho Hyun, nominee for Minister of Foreign Affairs. Presidential Office

Cho, who was born in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, graduated from Jeonju High School and Yonsei University with a degree in political science and diplomacy. He holds a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University in the United States, a master's degree in international politics from Sciences Po in France, and a doctorate in political science from Toulouse 1 University.

Cho passed the 13th Foreign Service Examination and entered the ministry in the same year as Wi Sungrak, Chief of the Presidential National Security Office, and Cho Tae-yul, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs. This cohort is often referred to as the "golden class."

Cho has served as Coordinator for Multilateral Diplomacy, Ambassador to Austria, and Ambassador to India. In 2017, the year the Moon Jae-in administration was inaugurated, he was appointed as the Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the following year, in 2018, he became the First Vice Minister. From October 2019 to July 2022, he served as Ambassador to the United Nations.

Kang Hoonshik, Chief Presidential Secretary, stated at a briefing regarding the ministerial nomination, "Cho has extensive experience in both bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, having served as both the First and Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs." He added, "He also has expertise in trade issues from his experience as Director-General for International Economic Affairs at the ministry, and is expected to actively address tariff issues and Middle Eastern affairs."