Park Young Sun

Former Minister Park Young Sun is a prominent figure in Korean politics and has held several notable positions in the government. She was the Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in the Republic of Korea from 2019 to 2021, making history as the first woman to lead a specialized government entity for small and medium-sized enterprises. During her time in office, she actively promoted the growth of innovative startups and entrepreneurship, positioning South Korea as a global leader in this industry. In 2021, Minister Park served as a senior advisor at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. Currently, she holds the position of Senior Research Fellow at the Ash Center of Harvard Kennedy School. Prior to her cabinet position,  Minister Park was a Member of the National Assembly in Korea for 16 years, where she gained a high reputation for her efforts to reform the Chaebol system and the Prosecutorial system in Korea. She was also the first woman floor leader and the first woman chairperson of the Legislation & Judiciary Committee. Her advocacy for a fair and transparent legal system and her efforts to promote accountability in the corporate world earned her widespread recognition both in South Korea and internationally. In addition to her domestic achievements, Minister Park has also held influential roles on the international stage. She was a Presidential Special Envoy to Ecuador in 2017 for the inauguration of President Lenin Moreno and was the first Korean Minister to chair the AMP committee at the World Economy Forum in Davos in 2020. She also served as a senior advisor at CSIS in Washington, D.C. in 2021, bringing her expertise in policy-making and international relations to the forefront of global conversations.