Thanks to all who joined the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of the North Pacific Coast for its June 20 luncheon meeting where the KACC was honored to present Mr. Bon-Woo Koo, the new Consul General for the Republic of Korea in San Francisco.

Consul General Koo gave a fascinating presentation about recent changes in Korean society.  He noted that as a career diplomat, he has lived in a number of countries, which has given him a perspective on how Korea looks from the “outside,” as well as the inside.  Mr. Koo focused particularly on how Korea is coping with the increasingly diverse and multi-ethnic nature of Korean society.  After his presentation, Mr. Koo graciously fielded questions on a wide range of subjects, ranging from North Korean politics to Korean art and culture. 

Mr. Koo has served as Consul General in San Francisco since April 2007. He previously served as Director-General of the Cultural Affairs Bureau in the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007. He has been with the Ministry since 1980, serving in a variety of diplomatic posts both at home and abroad. In particular, he led the Korean team in the negotiation for Trade in Services for Doha Development Agenda from 2002 to 2004.

He also served in the Korean Missions in many countries including Mexico City (2003-2004), Paris (1999-2003), Brussels (1992-1995), Montreal (1984-1986) and Ouagadougou (1984-1986). Consul General Koo is a Graduate of Seoul National University and has pursued further studies in international relations at the Institut National d’Administration Publique in France.