(New York, NY) The Korea Society is pleased to announce that Thomas J. Byrne has accepted the Board of Directors’ nomination as President of The Korea Society, and began his term on August 17, 2015. With his long financial market experience and proactive leadership, President Byrne aims to guide the Society as the premier forum in the United States for issues concerning Korea.
“Many of us know Tom primarily for his perceptive political and economic analysis. Deep down, Tom is a true Korean at heart, who became deeply committed to Korea and its culture as a Peace Corp volunteer,” said The Korea Society Chairman Thomas Hubbard in welcoming President Byrne. “We will benefit greatly from his expertise and dedication to our mission.”
Under his leadership, the Korea Society will highlight U.S.-Korea economic and policy priorities and bolster the Society’s corporate programs. This will help to nurture further the close alliance through The Korea Society’s well-established cultural, educational, and policy programs.
President Byrne has longstanding connections with Korea, dating back to his three-year service as a US Peace Corps volunteer. Prior to joining the Society, he was a Senior Vice President at Moody’s Investors Service, serving as its spokesperson, director of analysis, and manager of the Sovereign Risk teams in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. Before moving to Moody’s in 1996, he was the Senior Economist in the Asia Department of The Institute of International Finance in Washington, DC. President Byrne holds a Master of Arts degree in International Relations with an emphasis on economics from The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
The Korea Society is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501©(3) organization with individual and corporate members that is dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness, understanding, and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea. In pursuit of its mission, the Society arranges programs that facilitate discussion, exchanges, and research on topics of vital interest to both countries in the areas of public policy, business, education, intercultural relations, and the arts.