Kim Won-soo

Kim Won-soo is a Korean diplomat, the current Under Secretary-General and Acting High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations since January 2007. He is married with two sons.

Career

Kim is one of the most influential advisors to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and is widely considered his right-hand man.

Since his appointment as Under Secretary-General and Acting High Representative for Disarmament Affairs since June 2015, Kim has led efforts to investigate chemical weapon attacks in Syria and dismantle the chemical weapons stockpile. In a recent address marking the coinciding 70th anniversary of the UN and 70th anniversary of the first and last use of nuclear weapons in war, Kim outlined goals to address the urgent issue of nuclear disarmament as well as sustainable development related to climate concerns.

Prior to his appointment to the UN, he served as Ambassador of South Korea from October to December 2007. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1978 and has served in various capacities, including overseas posting at Korean embassies in the United States and India.