Dr Michael Reiterer
Distinguished Professor at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) of the Brussels School of Governance, former Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of the European Union to the Republic of Korea (2017-2020)

Michael Reiterer is Distinguished Professor at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) of the Brussels School of Governance. He is the editor of the CSDS policy brief series.

Michael Reiterer pursued his academic career always in parallel to his diplomatic one at the Austrian and then European service. After graduating as Dr. jur. from the University of Innsbruck, post-graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins University/Bologna Centre and the Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva were further stepping stones to his habilitation (PhD) in International Politics at the University of Innsbruck (2005) focusing on EU-Asia relations. EU foreign policy, EU-Asia relations in particular with Japan and Korea, inter-regionalism, security issues, new forms of diplomacy, and human rights are nowadays the main focus of his research, having previously published extensively on international trade law and relations including WTO, trade and environment and the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM). He has taught at various universities in Europe and Asia.

In September 2020, he retired from the European Diplomatic Service (European External Action Service-EEAS) as Ambassador plenipotentiary and extraordinary of the European Union to the Republic of Korea; previous posts include Ambassador to Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, Deputy Head of Mission/Minister at the EU Delegation to Japan, Minister Counsellor at the Austrian Permanent Representation to the EU, Counsellor at the Austrian Permanent Representation to the GATT, Austrian Deputy Trade Commissioner for West Africa (out of Abidjan/Ivory Coast) and to Japan. In addition, he co-chaired the Joint Group of Trade and Environment Experts at the OECD, served as panelist at the WTO dispute settlement and was a member of the European Economic and Social Committee.

He received the Order of Merit in Silver with Star from the Government of the Republic of Austria in 2018 and the Honorary Citizenship of Seoul from the Metropolitan Government, Republic of Korea in 2020.

AHN, Chong ghee
Senior Advisor (Kim&Chang), former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Belgium and to the European Union and to Luxemburg (2015-16), Vice Foreign Minister, ROK´s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2016-2017)

Ahn Chong ghee is Senior Advisor to Kim & Chang and Invited Professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea. He graduated from Seoul National University in French Literature (BA) and Law (Graduate Course) and holds a Master of Science in Foreign Service (M.S.F.S.) in International Politics and Economics from Georgetown University, USA.

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 1982.

Prior to his current affiliation he served as Vice Foreign Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2016-2017), Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Belgium and to the European Union and to Luxemburg (2015-2016) and Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs at Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2013-2015). Other previous posts include Consul General, Korean Consulate in Shanghai, China (2011-2013), Director-General, Bilateral Trade Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, MOFAT (2008-2011), Deputy Director-General, Bilateral Trade Bureau, MOFAT (2007-2008), Counsellor, Korean Embassy in the United States of America (2004-2007), Director, World Trade Organization Division, Multilateral Trade Bureau, MOFAT (2003-2004), Director, Administrative Management and Legal Affairs, MOFAT (2002-2003), Counsellor, Korean Permanent Mission to the UN Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland (1999-2002).

Ahn received the Order of Leopold from the Kingdom of Belgium in 2017 and was awarded the Order of Civil Merit from the Republic of Korea in 2009.