The IAEA Board of Governors elected by acclamation Ambassador Shin Chae-Hyun as the Chairperson of the IAEA’s Board of Governors for 2021–2022. His one-year term commences today. He replaces Ambassador Heidi Hulan of Canada.
Ambassador Shin is the Republic of Korea’s Permanent Representative to the international organizations in Vienna and Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia.
Prior to his current post, Ambassador Shin served as Secretary for Foreign Policy to the President of the Republic of Korea. As a career diplomat, he has assumed several senior positions, including Consul General in San Francisco (2016–2017), and from 2013 to 2016, he held three Director-General posts for human resources, North Korean nuclear affairs and North American affairs.
He also served as Director for Human Resources Management (2001), Protocol (2005) and North America (2007). In his early career, he worked as Deputy Director and Assistant Director at the Divisions of East European Affairs; Science, Technology and Environment; Asian Affairs; and Planning and Management.
Abroad, Ambassador Shin served in Hong Kong (2011–2013), New York (2008–2011), Washington, D.C. (2002–2005), Senegal (1998–2000) and the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (1995–1998).
He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from Seoul National University and a Master’s degree in international relations from the University of Cambridge.
He was decorated with the Order of Service Merit with Red Stripes and the Service Merit Medal.
He is married and has one daughter and one son.
