Biography
Ambassador Young-sam Ma started his diplomatic services in 1981 and served as the Ambassador to Israel and the Head Representative to Palestine. His last foreign post was the Ambassador to Denmark. At the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Ma served as the Director of the UN Human Rights & Social Affairs Division and the Director-General of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau. He was also appointed as the first Ambassador for Public Diplomacy.
He majored in International Relations at Korea University and obtained his master’s degree at Georgetown University. As an international umpire as well as a referee of table tennis, he serves as the chair of the ITTF’s Umpires and Referees Committee (URC). He also worked as a Co-chair of the International Working Group on Sport and Persons with Disabilities, affiliated with the UN Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP). After retiring from the Korean government in 2016, he served as the Director of the UNITAR Jeju International Training Center for two years. Now he teaches at the Jeju National University.
He majored in International Relations at Korea University and obtained his master’s degree at Georgetown University. As an international umpire as well as a referee of table tennis, he serves as the chair of the ITTF’s Umpires and Referees Committee (URC). He also worked as a Co-chair of the International Working Group on Sport and Persons with Disabilities, affiliated with the UN Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP). After retiring from the Korean government in 2016, he served as the Director of the UNITAR Jeju International Training Center for two years. Now he teaches at the Jeju National University.
