Chun Beeho

Dr. Chun Beeho holds a bachelor's degree in political science at the Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, a master's degree in European Community studies from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (Universidad Politecnica de Madrid) in Spain, and a PhD. in Political Sciences and Sociology of the Complutense University of Madrid (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Spain. His master's thesis included an Analysis on Trade between the European Community and Newly industrialized Developing Countries in Asia (Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain, 1990), and his Doctoral Thesis was related to an Analysis on the integration of the European Union and its Political and Economic implications to Asia (Complutense University of Madrid, Spain 2001).^[1] He holds a degree of doctor honorary causa in philology science from Sofia University of Bulgaria and a degree of doctor honorary causa from Bulgaria Science Academy. Currently, he is a distinguished professor of College of Engineering of Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul. He served as the Director of International Cooperation Development Center of the University.

Chun's diplomatic career began in 1980 joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea after having passed the Diplomatic Service Examination in the same year. Following the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Bulgaria and Mexico, since 2018 he served as Distinguished Professor of Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul.

The brief CV of Dr. Chun Beeho is as follows:

• in August 1980 Joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA),
• in February 1985 Third Secretary, Korean Embassy in the Republic of Costa Rica,
• in November 1992 First Secretary, Korean Embassy in the United Mexican States,
• in June 1995 First Secretary, Korean Mission to the European Community in Belgium,
• in March 1998 Director for Administrative Management and Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT),
• in May 1999 Director, European Trade Division, Bilateral Trade Bureau, MOFAT,
• in December 2000 Counsellor, Korean Embassy in the United Mexican States,
• in December 2002 Counsellor, Korean Embassy in the French Republic,
• in December 2005 Senior Director for Trade Policy Planning and Public Relations, MOFAT,
• in April 2007 Director General for Diplomatic Competency Assessment, Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT),
• in April 2008 Dean of Education and Training, Central Officials Training Institute, Ministry of Public Administration and Security (MOPAS),
• in January 2010 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Bulgaria,
• in November 2013 Ambassador for International Relations, Gangwon Province, Korea,
• in April 2015 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Mexican States (until December 2017), and
• Since March 2018 serving as Distinguished- Visiting Professor, giving lectures at the College of Engineering and the Graduate School of National Strategy, having served as Director of Center of International Development Cooperation, Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul.
• Since January 2019, serving as external director of JW Pharmaceutical Co.
• Since January 2024, serving as CEO of MnM Institute Limited
• Since January 2024, serving as Chairman of International cooperation of International Robot Olympiad

Since 2015, he represented the Diplomatic Mission of the Republic of Korea in the United States of Mexico. Presenting on June 19, 2015 Credentials to the President of the United Mexican States, Enrique Peña Nieto.^[2]

Referring to his diplomatic legacy in Mexico he served for the promotion of an FTA between the Republic of Korea and Mexico;^[3] the promotion of Foreign Direct Investments of Korean Companies in Mexico headed by Kia, Hyundai Motors and Promotion of National Content in Mexican Exports;^[4] the Creation of Academic Industrial Cooperation Centers (ICC) for the technology transfer between State of Mexico, Mexico and the Republic of Korea;^[5] Academic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation between the Republic of Korea and Universities in Mexico;^[6] Promotion of the First Direct Flight between South Korea and Mexico, operated by Aeromexico;^[7] The naming of Avenue Republic of Korea by the Major of Mérida, Yucatán.^[8]

As a South Korean diplomat, he served as visiting lectureres in Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Cuba, France, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, Spain and Thailand. He has participated as Academic Lecturer in prestigious universities as Mines Paris ("South Korea: France's Strategic Partner in Asia", 2004), the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education Campus Monterrey ("Free Trade Strategy between South Korea and Mexico", 2017), Colmex in Mexico City ("The Foreign Trade Policy of Korea and the Impetus for Free Trade between Korea and Mexico", 2017), the Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul ("Analysis on the Korea's FTA strategy towards Asia", 2007; "Economic Integration in the East Asia Region", 2008), and the University of Sofia in Bulgaria ("Government Policy Review of the Republic of Korea", 2010; "South Korea as Crossroads of Asia", 2012).

• Analysis on the trade between the European Community and Newly industrialized developing countries in Asia (Master's Thesis, Polytechnic University of Madrid, España 1990).
• The Single Market of the European Community and Developing Countries (Dissertation, 1991).
• Analysis on the integration of the European Union and its political and economic relations with Asia (PHD Degree Thesis, Complutense University of Madrid, España 2001).
• Innovation & The Academy: The Case of South Korea.^[9]
• A Bulgarian View of the Republic of Korea.^[10]
• Information Book on the shipbuilding negotiations between the European Union and the Republic of Korea (2000).
• Analysis on the external relations of the European Community (Contemporary international politics by Dr. Yoon Keon-shik, 1991).
• The Small and Medium enterprise policy of the European Community (1992, KITA).
• The integration of the European Community and the trade policy recommendation to the Korean Government (1992, KITA).
• The facts of the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement: meaning and expected effect (March 2006).
• The status and strategy of Korea's FTA policy toward Asia (East Asia Brief by the Sungkwonkwan University, 2007).
• The way to train global sports leaders for strengthening Sports Diplomacy (2008).
• "Evolution of Bilateral Relations between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Bulgaria" (Conference paper collection of "Korea as Crossroads of Asia", national conference on Korean studies, University of Sofia, 2012).
• Let's prepare for Yeosu EXPO assessment (Maritime Economic Newspaper, March 17, 2007).
• Reasons to turn eyes to the East of Balkan region (Hankyung newspaper, February 2010).
• Bulgaria waiting for Korea (Munhwa Daily, December 2010).
• Bulgaria as new ground for Green industry (Hankooki daily, February 2011).
• Han wave on the Balkans (Munhwa Daily, September 2011).
• Korea-Bulgaria Policy Forum 2012 (Editor, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Sofia University, May 30, 2012)
• Mexico, FTA Hub where Foreign Direct Investments are rushing (Hankyung, January 16, 2016)

• Service Merit Medal, Republic of Korea (December 2007)
• Order of Stara Planina 1st Class, Bulgaria (May 2013)
• Red Stripes Order of Service Merit, Republic of Korea (June 2018)
• Order of Aguila Azteca, Mexico (September 2018)
• Doctor honoris causa from the University of Sofia^[11]

• List of diplomatic missions of South Korea
• Politics of South Korea
• Korean immigration to Mexico
• Culture of South Korea