Culture ministry names Kim Hyun-hwan to lead national museum foundation

The culture ministry said Friday it appointed Kim Hyun-hwan, a former first vice minister, as chairman of the National Museum Foundation. His term runs for three years.

Kim spent much of his career inside the ministry, serving as director general for tourism policy, director general for content policy, head of the planning and coordination office and finally first vice minister from December 2021 to May 2022. He is currently a visiting professor in Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' global culture and content department and a distinguished professor at Kyung Hee University's graduate school of tourism.

"Public interest in the National Museum of Korea is as high as it has ever been," Choe said. "I expect the new chairman to use the expertise and capability he built in the field to lead the development of the museum's cultural programmes in line with what the public expects."

The National Museum Foundation was established in 2004 to preserve and promote cultural heritage and widen public access to it. Its work includes developing and distributing museum merchandise, operating the Yong theatre at the National Museum of Korea and running visitor facilities at the museum.