Marketing veteran appointed new head of Korea Tourism Organization after 2 years of leadership vacuum

Korea Tourism Organization's newly appointed President Park Sung-hyeuck / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism appointed Park Sung-hyeuck, a former vice president and corporate adviser of Cheil Worldwide, as the new president of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Wednesday, filling a post that had been vacant for nearly two years.

The ministry said Park, 57, will serve as the KTO’s 27th president and begin work immediately, and his official appointment ceremony will take place at a later date.

A graduate of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies with a master’s degree in journalism from Chung-Ang University, Park is pursuing a doctoral degree in media communication at his alma mater. Over his 30-year career at Cheil, he led the company’s global operations, including posts overseeing Europe and North America.

Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said Park is "a leader with international marketing expertise and strong management skills," expressing confidence that he will help the KTO reach its goal of attracting 30 million foreign visitors and redefine the "K-Tourism" brand.

Park’s appointment came as a surprise to many in the tourism sector, as he had no political background or prior involvement in tourism policy. Industry watchers interpret his selection as a sign of the government’s willingness to inject private-sector innovation into the public tourism body.

Widely regarded as a marketing strategist, Park is credited with directing iconic 1990s campaigns such as Samsung’s "Anycall" and SK Telecom’s "TTL."

The KTO has been without a president since January 2024, when former head Kim Jang-sil resigned to run in the general elections. The prolonged leadership vacuum resulted in the organization receiving an "E," its lowest grade, in the government’s annual management assessment earlier this year.

Park’s three-year term begins Wednesday.