BOK head to receive prestigious FPA Medal for global leadership

Bank of Korea Gov. Rhee Chang-yong attends a press conference at the bank headquarters in Seoul, Feb. 25. Yonhap

Bank of Korea Gov. Rhee Chang-yong will be awarded the Foreign Policy Association (FPA) Medal in recognition of his global leadership and contributions to positive change in the international community, the central bank said Friday.

The FPA Medal is the association’s highest honor.

Previous recipients include former European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet, former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Paul A. Volcker, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John C. Williams.

The FPA board unanimously voted for Rhee as medal recipient in November 2024, following a recommendation by the FPA chair and president.

Rhee will attend the award ceremony on April 21 (local time) in New York alongside Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Secretary-General Mathias Cormann.

Founded in 1918, the association is a nonprofit dedicated to increasing public awareness and understanding of U.S. foreign policy and international issues.

Rhee left for Washington on Saturday to attend the Group of 20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting and the IMF-World Bank Group Spring Meetings.

At the G20 Meeting, Rhee will exchange views on key issues, including the global economic outlook, financial stability and the international financial system with other attendees.

During the IMF meetings, he will discuss the global economic outlook, policy challenges and financial stability developments.

Rhee will join an IMF panel discussion on Wednesday to speak on monetary policy and financial stability during periods of inflation.

He will meet with key financial markets leaders and policymakers.

He will return to Korea on April 29.