Biography
Hong Seok-Hyun is the owner and Chairman of JoongAng Holdings, the largest media group in Korea with 26 outlets spanning newspapers, broadcasting, publishing, entertainment, and digital media. In recognition of his leading transformations in the media industry, Mr. Hong served as President of the World Association of Newspapers, as well as President of the Korean Association of Newspapers.
Mr. Hong has been active in public service. In the 1970s and 80s, he worked as an economist at the World Bank, and was a senior fellow at the Korea Development Institute(KDI). He also served as the Korean ambassador to the United States, and more recently, visited Washington, D.C. as President Moon Jae-in’s Special Envoy to the United States.
Mr. Hong is the Deputy Chairman for the Asia Pacific Group of the Trilateral Commission, and was until recently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Asia Foundation and the Center for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS), as well as a member of the Chatham House Panel of Senior Advisers. He is currently a member of the 21st Century Council of the Berggruen Institute on Governance, the Chairman of the Korea Baduk(Go) Association, and was the President of the International Go Federation. He also serves as the President of the Organizing Committee of the World Culture Open(WCO).
Mr. Hong is deeply committed to unification issues. As Chairman of the Korean Peninsula Forum, he planned and oversaw the launch of the Korea Peace Foundation in 2017. As Chairman of this new Foundation, Mr. Hong aims to seek and propose creative alternatives and strategies to foster a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Mr. Hong received his bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering from Seoul National University and earned both a master’s in industrial engineering and a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University.
Mr. Hong has been active in public service. In the 1970s and 80s, he worked as an economist at the World Bank, and was a senior fellow at the Korea Development Institute(KDI). He also served as the Korean ambassador to the United States, and more recently, visited Washington, D.C. as President Moon Jae-in’s Special Envoy to the United States.
Mr. Hong is the Deputy Chairman for the Asia Pacific Group of the Trilateral Commission, and was until recently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Asia Foundation and the Center for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS), as well as a member of the Chatham House Panel of Senior Advisers. He is currently a member of the 21st Century Council of the Berggruen Institute on Governance, the Chairman of the Korea Baduk(Go) Association, and was the President of the International Go Federation. He also serves as the President of the Organizing Committee of the World Culture Open(WCO).
Mr. Hong is deeply committed to unification issues. As Chairman of the Korean Peninsula Forum, he planned and oversaw the launch of the Korea Peace Foundation in 2017. As Chairman of this new Foundation, Mr. Hong aims to seek and propose creative alternatives and strategies to foster a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Mr. Hong received his bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering from Seoul National University and earned both a master’s in industrial engineering and a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University.
