Jeong Se-hyun explained

Office:Executive Vice-chair of National Unification Advisory Council
Alma Mater:Seoul National University
Birth Date:7 May 1945
Birth Place:Manchuria (now-Heilongjiang, China)
Termstart:2 September 2019
Office1:Minister of Unification
President1:Kim Dae-Jung
Roh Moo-hyun
Predecessor1:Hong Soon-young
Termstart1:29 January 2002
Termend1:30 June 2004
Successor1:Chung Dong-young
Blank1:Religion
Data1:Won Buddhism
Predecessor:Kim Deog-ryong
President:Moon Jae-in
Successor:Lee Seok-hyun
Termend:31 August 2021
Korean name
Hangul:정세현
Rr:Jeong Se-hyeon
Mr:Chŏng Sehyŏn

Jeong Se-hyun (; born 7 May 1945) is a South Korean politician who served as an Unification Minister under two consecutive presidents from 2002 to 2004.

He spent more than two decades at the Ministry of Unification which he first joined as a researcher on communist countries at then-Board of National Unification in 1977. In 2002 he was appointed as the head of the Ministry and assumed the post until June 2004 serving two consecutive Presidents, Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. He was also credited with boosting inter-Korean cooperative projects including Kaesong Industrial Region, a landmark site of Inter-Korean cooperation.

In 2019 Jeong was appointed the Executive Vice-Chair of National Unification Advisory Council led by the President Moon Jae-in, the third president Jeong serves and third liberal president of the country. He was credited with helping to create the predecessor of the Council, Presidential Advisory Council on Peaceful Unification Policy, back in 1981.[1]

He also worked at Korean think tanks - now-Sejong Institute and Korea Institute for National Unification - as their ranking member. In addition, he was the visiting scholar to Kyung Hee University and Myongji University as well as the Endowed-Chair Professor of Ewha Womans University and Kyungnam University.

Moreover, he previously served as the 11th President of Wonkwang University and the 6th President of Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, one of South Korean NGOs that most actively engage with North Korea. He currently chairs Korea Peace Forum.

He holds three degrees from Seoul National University: bachelor in political science and diplomacy and master and doctorate in international relations. He focused his postgraduate studies on Chinese studies earning master for analysing Han Fei, a Chinese philosopher, and doctorate for Mao Zedong's foreign policy.

Honours

References

  1. News: 정세현 신임 민주평통 수석부의장…실무·이론겸비 '통일전문가'. ko. 정세현 신임 민주평통 수석부의장…실무·이론겸비 '통일전문가' Jeong Se-hyun New National Unification Advisory Council Executive Vice-chair..."unification expert" with experience and knowledge.