New presidential secretary for diplomatic affairs named

By Na Jeong-ju

Chun Yung-woo, the country’s former chief nuclear negotiator and now second vice minister of foreign affairs and trade, has been appointed as new senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs and national security, Cheong Wa Dae announced Monday.

Chun replaces Kim Sung-hwan, who was inaugurated on Oct. 8 as the country’s 36th foreign minister.

“A career diplomat and skilled negotiator, Chun will work with Kim to bring changes to the foreign ministry and address Korea’s relations with the four major powers surrounding the Korean Peninsula, and the upcoming G20 summit,” the presidential office said in a press release.

“We expect Chun to handle pending diplomatic issues, thoroughly and flexibly, and help President Lee Myung-bak make the right decisions.”

Born in Milyang, South Gyeongsang Province, in 1952, he served as Seoul’s chief negotiator for the six-party talks on ending North Korea’s nuclear program from 2006 to 2008 before assuming the post of second vice minister.

Chun also worked with the South Korean mission in the United Nations and served as ambassador to Britain.

He studied French language and culture at Pusan National University and obtained a master’s degree in international relations at Columbia University in New York.