Minister for Foreign Affairs (South Korea)

South Korean government position

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Emblem of the Government of Republic of Korea

Incumbent
Cho Tae-yul
since 11 January 2024

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Member of| State Council of South Korea
Reports to| President of South Korea
Appointer| President
Formation| August 25, 1948; 75 years ago (1948-08-25)
Deputy| State Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Korean: 외교부장관; RR: Oegyobujanggwan) is the leader and chief executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The minister is responsible for implementing South Korea's foreign policy.

The current minister for foreign affairs is Cho Tae-yeol, who took office in January 2024.[1]

## List of ministers for foreign affairs[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Name
(Birth–Death) | Term of office  | President

|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Time in office
1  |  | Jang Taek-sang
장택상
(1893–1969) | 15 August 1948  | 24 December 1948  | 131 days  |
Syngman Rhee
2  |  | Ben C. Lim
임병직
(1893–1976) | 25 December 1948  | 15 April 1951  | 2 years, 111 days
3  |  | Byun Young-tae
변영태
(1892–1969) | 16 April 1951  | 28 July 1955  | 4 years, 103 days
4  |  | Cho Chung-whan
조정환
(1893–1976) | 29 July 1955  | 21 December 1959  | 4 years, 145 days
—  |  | Choi Kyu-hah
최규하
(1919–2006) | 22 December 1959  | 24 April 1960  | 124 days
5  |  | Her Chung

(1896–1988) | 25 April 1960  | 19 August 1960  | 116 days  |
Yun Bo-seon
6  |  | Chung Il-hyung
정일형
(1904–1982) | 23 August 1960  | 20 May 1961  | 270 days
7  |  | Kim Hong-il
김홍일
(1898–1980) | 21 May 1961  | 21 July 1961  | 61 days
8  |  | Song Yo-chan
송요찬
(1918–1980) | 22 July 1961  | 10 October 1961  | 80 days
9  |  | Choi Duk-shin
최덕신
(1914–1989) | 11 October 1961  | 15 March 1963  | 1 year, 155 days

Park Chung Hee
(acting)
10  |  | Kim Yong-shik
김용식
(1913–1995) | 16 March 1963  | 16 December 1963  | 275 days
11  |  | Chung Il-kwon
정일권
(1917–1994) | 17 December 1963  | 24 July 1964  | 220 days  |
Park Chung Hee
12  |  | Lee Tong-won
이동원
(1926–2006) | 25 July 1964  | 26 December 1966  | 2 years, 154 days
(11)  |  | Chung Il-kwon
정일권
(1917–1994) | 27 December 1966  | 29 June 1967  | 184 days
13  |  | Choi Kyu-hah
최규하
(1919–2006) | 30 June 1967  | 3 June 1971  | 3 years, 338 days
(10)  |  | Kim Yong-shik
김용식
(1913–1995) | 4 June 1971  | 2 December 1973  | 2 years, 181 days
14  |  | Kim Dong-jo
김동조
(1918–2004) | 3 December 1973  | 18 December 1975  | 2 years, 15 days
15  |  | Pak Tongjin
박동진
(1922–2013) | 19 December 1975  | 1 September 1980  | 4 years, 257 days

Choi Kyu-hah
16  |  | Lho Shin-yong
노신영
(1930–2019) | 2 September 1980  | 1 June 1982  | 1 year, 272 days  |
Chun Doo-hwan
17  |  | Lee Bum-suk
이범석
(1925–1983) | 2 June 1982  | 9 October 1983  | 1 year, 129 days
18  |  | Lee Won-kyung
이원경
(1922–2007) | 15 October 1983  | 26 August 1986  | 2 years, 315 days
19  |  | Choi Kwang-soo
최광수
(1935– 2021) | 26 August 1986  | 5 December 1988  | 2 years, 101 days

Roh Tae-woo
20  |  | Choi Ho-joong
최호중
(1930–2015) | 5 December 1988  | 27 December 1990  | 2 years, 22 days
21  |  | Lee Sang-ock
이상옥
(born 1934) | 27 December 1990  | 26 February 1993  | 2 years, 61 days
22  |  | Han Sung-joo
한승주
(born 1940) | 26 February 1993  | 24 December 1994  | 1 year, 301 days  |
Kim Young-sam
23  |  | Gong Ro-myung
공로명
(born 1932) | 24 December 1994  | 7 November 1996  | 1 year, 319 days
24  |  | Yoo Chong-ha
유종하
(born 1936) | 7 November 1996  | 3 March 1998  | 1 year, 116 days
25  |  | Park Chung-soo
박정수
(1932–2003) | 3 March 1998  | 4 August 1998  | 154 days  |
Kim Dae-jung
26  |  | Hong Soon-young
홍순영
(1937–2014) | 4 August 1998  | 14 January 2000  | 1 year, 163 days
27  |  | Lee Joung-binn
이정빈
(born 1937) | 14 January 2000  | 26 March 2001  | 1 year, 71 days
28  |  | Han Seung-soo
한승수
(born 1936) | 26 March 2001  | 4 February 2002  | 315 days
29  |  | Choi Sung-hong
최성홍
(born 1938) | 4 February 2002  | 27 February 2003  | 1 year, 23 days
30  |  | Yoon Young-kwan
윤영관
(born 1951) | 27 February 2003  | 17 January 2004  | 324 days  |
Roh Moo-hyun
31  |  | Ban Ki-moon
반기문
(born 1944) | 17 January 2004  | 10 November 2006  | 2 years, 297 days
32  |  | Song Min-soon
송민순
(born 1948) | 10 November 2006  | 29 February 2008  | 1 year, 111 days
33  |  | Yu Myung-hwan
유명환
(born 1948) | 29 February 2008  | 4 September 2010  | 2 years, 188 days  |
Lee Myung-bak
34  |  | Kim Sung-hwan
김성환
(born 1953) | 8 October 2010  | 11 March 2013  | 2 years, 154 days
35  |  | Yun Byung-se
윤병세
(born 1953) | 11 March 2013  | 18 June 2017  | 4 years, 99 days  |
Park Geun-hye
36  |  | Kang Kyung-wha
강경화
(born 1955) | 18 June 2017  | 8 February 2021  | 3 years, 235 days  |
Moon Jae-in
37  |  | Chung Eui-yong
정의용
(born 1946) | 9 February 2021  | 12 May 2022  | 1 year, 92 days
38  |  | Park Jin

(born 1956) | 12 May 2022  | 10 January 2024  | 1 year, 243 days  |
Yoon Suk-yeol
39  |  | Cho Tae-yul
조태열
(born 1955) | 11 January 2024  | incumbent | 185 days

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Profile". Ministery of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea.

*[No.]: Number