Kim Won-Soo

Former UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs

Birth

• March 1, 1956

Education

1979

Seoul National University College of Law (Bachelor of Law), Republic of Korea

1983

M.A. in International Relations, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, United States of America

1996

J.S.M and Doctoral candidate in International Law, Stanford University Law School, USA

Career

1978

Joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROK

1978 ~ 1992

Served in the Treaties Division, ROK Embassy in Washington DC, USA (Second Secretary), North American Division, ROK Embassy in New Delhi, India (Political Counsellor)

1992 ~ 1994

Director of the Treaties Division

1995 ~ 1996

Visiting Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) and the Asia-Pacific Research Center (APRC), Stanford University

1996 ~ 1999

Political Counsellor of the ROK Mission to the United Nations in New York, USA (Coordinator of the Korean Delegation to the UN Security Council)

2000 ~ 2003

Secretary to the President of the ROK for International Security as well as Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Office of the President (Blue House), ROK

2004 ~ 2006

Director-General for Policy Planning and Ambassador for Regional Cooperation, Special Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

2006.10 ~ 12

Head of the Office for the Transition of the Eighth UN Secretary-General

2007 ~ 2011

Under Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General (Assistant Secretary-General)

2011 ~ 2014

Senior Coordinator for the UN System

2015 ~ 2017

Under Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, UN

2018 ~ 2020

Distinguished Professor at Yonsei University and Incheon National University

2021 ~

Chairman of the International Advisory Board of the Taejae Future Strategy Institute

2022 ~

Chair Professor at Kyung Hee University (Rector, Global Academy for Future Civilizations)

Awards

2000

ROK Presidential Service Merit Medal

2007

ROK Presidential Commendation

2011

ROK Red Stripes for Order of Service Merit

Books

• Furthering the Work of the United Nations: Highlights of the Tenure of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon 2007-2016 (co-authored), published by the United Nations
  - Korean edition: Toward a Better United Nations - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's 10-year record (published by Thinking Stations)