Kang Kyung-wha | |
---|---|
강경화 | |
36th Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
In office June 18, 2017 – February 8, 2021 | |
President | Moon Jae-in |
Prime Minister | Lee Nak-yon Chung Sye-kyun |
Preceded by | Yun Byung-se |
Succeeded by | Chung Eui-yong |
Personal details | |
Born | Seoul, South Korea | April 7, 1955
Spouse | Lee Yill-byung |
Children | 1 son and 2 daughters[1] |
Alma mater | Yonsei University University of Massachusetts, Amherst |
Signature | |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 강경화 |
Hanja | 康京和 |
Revised Romanization | Gang Gyeonghwa |
McCune–Reischauer | Kang Kyŏnghwa |
Kang Kyung-wha (Korean: 강경화; born April 7, 1955) is a South Korean diplomat and politician who was the first female Foreign Minister of South Korea under President Moon Jae-in from 2017-21 as well as the first woman nominated for and appointed to the position.[2][3] She is also the first Korean woman to hold a high-level position in the United Nations. Previously, Kang was the first non-exam-taker to become a director-general at the ministry. She is the first South Korean foreign minister to join the official South Korean delegation for the inter-Korean summit as well as to visit Pyongyang. Kang now serves as the president and CEO of the Asia Society.[4]