Park In-kook

President, Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies (KFAS) Chair, Shanghai Forum Organizing Committee

Mr. Park In-kook holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature (1975) and a Master’s Degree from the Graduate School of Law (1980) at Seoul National University.

Before he took current new undertaking as President of Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, he served as Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the UN (2008 – 2011) on top of his ambassadorial career in Geneva and Kuwait. Mr. Park joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1978 and served in the United States, Brussels (Korean Mission to the EU), and Saudi Arabia as career diplomat. Working in the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Park served as Director of the United Nations Division II, the Disarmament and Nuclear Energy Division, the Deputy Minister for Policy Planning and International Organizations (2006) and Deputy Foreign Minister for multilateral and global issues in 2007. He also served as Secretary to the President of the Republic of Korea for International Security (2002 - 2003).

Mr. Park had taken on other “ambassadorial roles” as President or Chair of a number of important international organizations, including President of the Geneva Conference on Disarmament (2004), Chairman of 2nd Committee of the UN General Assembly (Finance, Economy, Development and Environment, 2009 – 2010). He was recently elected as Co-Chair of Preparatory Committee for the UN conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 UN Environment Summit, 2012).