First North Korean defector appointed chairperson of Korea Hana Foundation; former KDB senior researcher Kim Young-hee tapped for the role

[Financial News] Kim Young-hee, a North Korean defector and former senior researcher at Korea Development Bank (KDB), has been appointed chairperson of Korea Hana Foundation. She is the first chairperson from a North Korean defector background since the foundation was established in 2010.
Kim graduated from Wonsan University of Economics in North Korea and, after arriving in South Korea, earned master's and doctoral degrees in North Korean studies at Kyungnam University and Dongguk University. Kim also served as head of KDB's North Korean Economy Team and as a senior research fellow, as well as director of the foundation's External Cooperation Office, and headed the incorporated association North Korea Development Research Institute.
The foundation's chairperson is appointed by the Minister of Unification following a recommendation by the board of directors, in accordance with Article 30, Paragraph 5 of the “Act on the Protection and Settlement Support of Residents Escaping from North Korea.”
Since arriving in South Korea in 2002, Kim has worked as an expert on the North Korean economy and served on advisory committees for various ministries and local governments. Kim has built expertise in a range of fields, including handling matters related to North Korean defectors at the foundation. Minister Chung Dong-young urged, “As someone who understands the pain and tears of North Korean defectors better than anyone, you should ensure the government’s policies for North Korean defectors are implemented without leaving any blind spots in support.” 
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