Yu Hyun-seok, an international relations professor at Kyung Hee University, was on Monday named the new president of the Korea Foundation, the Foreign Ministry said.

Yu, 50, has succeeded Kim Woo-sang to steer the state-run public diplomacy institute. He took office on Monday after receiving a letter of appointment.

A prominent figure in the fields of foreign relations and international politics, Yun has been a member of the KF’s public diplomacy forum and a policy adviser to the Unification Ministry since 2010.

On the same day, Kim Young-mok, a former consul general in New York, took office as the new president of the Korea International Cooperation Agency.

The 60-year-old former career diplomat will serve the state grant aid agency for three years, replacing Park Dae-won. He advised President Park Geun-hye on foreign affairs and security during last year’s election.

Since his entry to the ministry in 1977, Kim has held key posts including ambassador to Iran, vice secretary-general at the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization, minister at the U.N. mission and deputy director-general for North American affairs.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)