Former Rep. Park Jin has been named a chair professor for the Graduate School of International and Area Studies of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, the school said Sunday.

Park had represented the district of Jongno in Seoul for more than 12 years before the end of his third term in 2012 on the ticket of then-Grand National Party, predecessor to the Saenuri Party.

Park graduated from Seoul National University with a bachelor’s degree in law, and received a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University and his doctoral degree in politics from the University of Oxford.

The politician also served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after passing the national foreign service exam before entering politics as a secretary to former President Kim Young-sam.

The diplomat-turned-lawmaker is an expert in foreign affairs and diplomacy, and has chaired the National Assembly’s foreign affairs committee.

“His wide range of experience and knowledge will be of great help to nurture globalized talents,” Park Chul, president of HUFS, said in a statement.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)