Lee Jae-myung Nominates Shin Hyun-song as Next Bank of Korea Governor

President Lee Jae-myung nominated Shin Hyun-song, currently the Head of the Monetary and Economic Department at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), as the next Governor of the Bank of Korea on Friday, March 22, 2026.

The announcement, made by Presidential Spokesperson Lee Kyu-yeon during a briefing at the Blue House, positions Shin as the successor to current Bank of Korea Governor Lee Chang-yong, whose term concludes on April 20th.

According to the presidential office, Shin Hyun-song, born in Daegu in 1959, brings a wealth of international financial experience to the role. He holds both a Master’s and a Doctoral degree in Economics from Oxford University. His career includes positions as a professor at Princeton University and as a financial advisor to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Prior to his current position at the BIS, Shin served as the International Economic Advisor to the Presidential Office in 2010. He later held positions as Head of the Research Department and Economic Advisor at the BIS, beginning in 2014, before assuming his current role overseeing monetary policy.

Lee Kyu-yeon described Shin as “a world-renowned authority in international finance and macroeconomics, possessing both academic depth and practical insight.” He further emphasized Shin’s suitability for the position, stating he is “the right person to simultaneously achieve the monetary policy goals of price stability and national economic growth in a situation where international economic uncertainty has further increased due to the Middle East situation.”

Shin’s nomination is subject to a parliamentary confirmation hearing before final appointment by the President. The confirmation process will be closely watched as the Bank of Korea navigates a complex global economic landscape.