The Chairperson of the IAEA Board of Governors for the unexpired term of office for 2021-2022 is Mr. Ham Sangwook. He succeeds Mr Shin Chae-hyun, former Governor from the Republic of Korea.
Mr. Ham joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1991 and served twice at the Korean Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York as First Secretary in 2002-2005 and as Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative in 2018-2020. He also served in the Republic of Iraq and in the United States of America as a Counsellor, in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as a Head of Korean Provincial Reconstruction Team.
Mr. Ham has extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy, non-proliferation and disarmament, and as a diplomat has represented the Republic of Korea at numerous international meetings and conferences.
From 2007 to 2009 he held the position of Director of North Korean Nuclear Policy Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and has held various positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including that of Director-General for Non-proliferation and Nuclear Affairs from 2015 to 2018. Mr. Ham was appointed Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March 2020.
In the course of his career, Mr. Ham has received decorations and awards, including a Presidential Citation in 2012 and an Order of Service Merit with Red Stripes in 2015.
Mr. Ham holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Seoul National University in the Republic of Korea, and a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University in the United States of America.