The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency named three women as chiefs of its overseas offices earlier this week, raising the number of offices headed by women to four.

Choi Jo-hwan, Yoo Hee-suk and Kim Myung-hee were named chiefs of the Korea Business Centers in Manila, Kiev and Sofia, respectively.

Of the 111 KBCs around the world, four are now headed by women including Ko Sang-young, chief of KBC Nanjing.

Choi has headed KOTRA’s overseas investment information team and the Asia-Oceania team. Yoo, who worked at the KBC Manila until recently, was promoted to take the helm of the KBC Kiev in Ukraine. Kim has served in the overseas investment cooperation center, IT convergence business team, in Brussels and Paris.

Kim Sun-hwa was named chief of the free trade agreement business in the overseas marketing department, becoming the first woman to head a major division in KOTRA.

“The number of female KBC chiefs is expected to increase further as women account for nearly half of our new recruits and more women are seeking to work overseas,” a KOTRA official said.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)