Profile of Kim Byung-kook

Kim Byung-kook, chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, is one of Korea’s leading experts on foreign policy and international politics, known for his wide connections with academics and government officials at home and abroad.

After teaching political science and international relations at Korea University from 1999, Kim has taken up multiple posts at think tanks and advisory panels.
Kim co-founded the East Asia Institute in 2002 and served as president until becoming the first presidential adviser on foreign affairs and national security to the Lee Myung-bak administration in 2008. He then headed the state-run Korea Foundation before taking the helm at the KDNA in March.

Born in Seoul in 1959, Kim is a grandson of Kim Sung-soo, founder of the Donga Ilbo newspaper. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and master’s and doctoral degrees in political science from Harvard University.

(heeshin@heraldcorp.com)