Former FM Kang named as new president of Asia Society

Former South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has been named the new president and CEO of the Asia Society, a global nonprofit institution focusing on enhancing the understanding of Asia, its board of trustees announced Wednesday.

Kang, who served as Seoul’s top diplomat from 2017-2021, will be the Asia Society’s 9th president and CEO with the appointment effective in April.

“Throughout her career in public service, Dr. Kang has focused on the values of human dignity and peace. She has long shared and supported the objectives of Asia Society,” the organization said in a release.

“As foreign minister, she led Korea’s efforts to strengthen peace and co-prosperity in Asia, working closely with counterparts in Asia and around the world,” it added.

In a statement, Kang said she is “deeply honored and excited” to take the post.

“Since its founding, Asia Society has been the world’s leading non-profit organization to enhance knowledge and understanding about Asia and create bridges between the region and the rest of the world,” she said. “Today, that mandate is more important than ever.”

Founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller 3rd, the Asia Society is a nonpartisan institution with major centers and public buildings in New York, Hong Kong, and Houston, and additional locations in Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, New Delhi, Paris, San Francisco, Seattle, Seoul, Sydney and Tokyo, according to its website.