It is still not common for female Korean diplomats to specialize in the Middle East. However, Jisoo Pyo dove into the region, believing that understanding the Middle East, the frontline of global diplomacy, is crucial for South Korea's national interests. She studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London and at the University of Jordan, before serving in Sudan, Jordan, the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, and Lebanon. In February, she was appointed Director of the 2nd Middle East Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she plays a crucial role in safeguarding Korea's national interests amid a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, and fostering mutual development with the Middle East.

A Fulfilling College Life: Korean Painting Club, Philosophy Lectures, and Volunteer Work in India

When you learn that she passed the Foreign Service Exam (now the "Foreign Service Candidate Selection Exam") in her third year of university, you might assume she was solely focused on her studies from the moment she entered. On the contrary, Pyo thoroughly enjoyed her time at school. She has especially fond memories of her liberal arts classes.

"I loved the classes in the College of Liberal Arts, especially philosophy, so I took so many philosophy courses as if it were my major. I loved Professor Sang-mu Oh's Chinese Philosophy and Professor Sungtaek Cho's Buddhist Philosophy, among others. I was also very active in student clubs. I was the president of the Korean Painting Club twice. Our club room was a long room with a terrace at the top of the Student Union building. I loved the beautiful view overlooking Minju Plaza. People were always quietly grinding ink, and the smell of ink was always in the air… I guess I'm a liberal arts person, a 'philosophy, history, literature' type," she said with a laugh. "I'm even going to the Korean Painting Club exhibition this fall to meet the students in the club."

After completing her second year of college, a trip to India for volunteer work introduced her to a new dream and a challenge.

"I taught English for three to four months at a public school in a rural area. The children had little money but were full of desire to learn. What was shocking was that after we returned to Korea, those children would no longer be able to study because they had no English teacher. They would just lose the very opportunity to learn. If they could continue to learn English, they could get better jobs, but that chance would be lost... I felt a sense of regret about the limits of short-term volunteering and started to wonder if I could fundamentally change this situation. I thought that if I could join the UN and work on projects there, I might be able to create more fundamental solutions. To get to the UN? It would be great to become a diplomat! That's when I began focusing on that."

In her third year she took a leave of absence from her KU studies to focus on her preparation for the Foreign Service Exam, and passed. She humbly insisted that her quick success was "due to luck."

"I really passed because I was lucky. I didn't start early because I had just come back from volunteering in India. But when I joined the exam preparation group at Korea University, there were so many brilliant and talented people. Thanks to them, I had to study harder, and then I just got lucky. Moreover, the subjects for the Foreign Service Exam at the time, like international law and economics, were not relevant toother exams. I think I studied harder because I thought, 'If I fail this, it's truly over, I'm ruined,'" she said with a laugh.

How did her time at Korea University influence her as a diplomat?

"As soon as Korea University students enter, they naturally participate in the April 18 Marathon, and the phrase you hear most on campus is 'Liberty, Justice, and Truth.' I think that phrase makes us consider the good of the entire community more than personal gain. Our school has a fundamental attitude of pursuing values like community, human rights, and the protection of the vulnerable. As I handle the Middle East region, there are often complex, difficult, and sometimes very sad events that happen one after another. In those moments, I believe the values of liberty, justice, and truth greatly influence the judgments I have to make as a diplomat for the Republic of Korea."

Embracing "Liberty, Justice, and Truth" and Stepping into the Middle East

During her training at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, the first gateway to becoming a diplomat, she fatefully encountered the Middle East. "Professor Nam-sik In at the academy was giving a lecture on the Middle East, and his words about how complex the situation in the region is and how important it is for someone to dedicate themselves to its study sounded like they were all meant for me. I am not religious, but I thought that since I had been lucky enough to pass the exam so early, maybe there was a task entrusted to me that I needed to take on. Also, I am the type of person who values 'meaning' more than money. You know, some people feel miserable if their work lacks meaning. (Laughs) For me, taking on the Middle East felt meaningful."

➊ Speaking at a public meeting on the Middle East at the UN Security Council
➋ Visiting the Gulf Research Center in Saudi Arabia in April of this year

Diplomacy in the Middle East is a difficult challenge for many countries, and Western nations in fact deploy their most capable diplomats there. Pyo, having decided to enter Middle East diplomacy, also began an intense period of study of the region, including Arabic, in order to understand its delicate and complex nature.

"I started in the 1st Middle East Division, studied Arabic at the University of Jordan, and earned my master's degree from SOAS, University of London, on the topic of 'Democracy in Iran.' I then served in the UN Division, Sudan, the Permanent Mission to the UN in New York again, and Lebanon."

Hoping for Peace in the Middle East

Her time in the Middle East was often spent dealing with urgent situations, where she had to keep control of her trembling hands while working at the embassy during a long bombing raid, or leading the emergency evacuation of Korean citizens during a sudden military conflict. She was also the first female diplomat from South Korea to be assigned to Khartoum, Sudan, which is considered one of the most difficult posts.

However, she expressed regret that when people talk about the Middle East, the focus tends to be on negative aspects like terrorism and conflict. The Middle East she has worked and lived in is a place filled with great beauty, despite its many challenges.

"It is true that there are some extremists in the region, but that is not everyone. The Arab people I met in person were gentle and kind. There are also many culturally interesting aspects. Lebanon, in particular, is an incredibly beautiful country that I truly love. In Lebanon, I highly valued the time I spent with friends, walking on the beach, reading books together, and drinking tea."

She laughed, saying that as someone who has professionally studied the Middle East and experienced its beauty, she has become a big fan of the region.

"All of us in the Middle East Division hope that the people there will do well. We are always watching the news, waiting for good news to arrive. When we finally established formal diplomatic relations with Syria on April 10, I was so overwhelmed with joy. Many diplomats around the world truly hope that the people of Syria will do well. We have watched them suffer for so long. And finally, the moment came when the Assad regime collapsed, and we see a country, like ours in the past, rising again amid the chaos. With the dictator gone and Syria’s capital city Damascus changing in a positive direction, a variety of options are unfolding. Personally, I believe that if the Syrian people are to choose a path of coexistence and reject violence, they will need the help and support of many nations. That is the role of international diplomacy. For Syria, which seeks to walk a democratic path, formal diplomatic ties with South Korea have become a new source of hope and will positively influence their future decisions. Our minister even went there in person at the time. It was risky, but we decided the visit was necessary, and the minister showed great resolve in making it happen. Syria was very grateful for that."

The First Principle is Always National Interest, Followed by Mutual Growth

Separate from her love for the Middle East, her first principle as a diplomat is Korea’s national interest. She asserts that this comes first, and then mutual growth with Korea’s counterparts.

"I am a Korean diplomat. I work for our country's national interest, with the taxes paid by our citizens. It is a priority to apply the information and lessons we learn in the interests of our country's future. What happens in other parts of the world could also take place on the Korean Peninsula. Many things have been happening in the Middle East recently, and these events affect not only us but the entire world. Diplomats must have a keen grasp of the situation and be more prepared for the future. The national interest of South Korea is our top priority, but our ultimate goal as diplomats is to ensure that our success also benefits others, and to move toward a path of mutual growth. The third-round interview question for the Foreign Service Exam was, 'You are in a negotiation where you can gain an advantage by lying. Would you lie for the national interest?' The correct answer is, 'You might gain a short-term advantage, but diplomacy is not a one-time thing. You have to maintain relationships continuously, so lying cannot be beneficial in the long run.' Since we are all neighbors living in this global community, I always try to think about how we can all prosper together."

Pyo emphasizes that she is able to walk this path because of the other female diplomats who came before her, and she dreams of setting another wonderful example as a female diplomat. "I hugely respect Consul General Eun-jeong Kim in Frankfurt, who was the first woman to be appointed Director-General for Middle East and African Affairs. It must have been even harder for female diplomats back then because they were a smaller minority, but they paved the way for us. I also want to open a path, one on which we can protect South Korea's national interest and achieve mutual growth with the Middle East."

"If You Know Any Fine Man!"

What does she, as a diplomat and as a person, value most?

"I always tell my colleagues, 'Nothing is more important than your physical and mental health.'" Although she is constantly monitoring and reporting on the sharp dynamics of international society and the non-stop breaking news, she enjoys various hobbies to refresh her body and mind. "I like video games, I really love books, and I even did pistol shooting in Lebanon. Oh, and I'm not married yet, but I'm very open to it. If you know any fine man...!" Her bright laugh felt surprising, given that she had recently been in charge of and carried out the evacuation of Korean citizens amid bombs raining down. She definitely aroused a girl crush in me.