Atout France names new head of Korea office
28 years in the making: a French tourism veteran rises to the top
From interpreter to director — an unprecedented internal promotion
First appointment to break the outside-hire tradition
Atout France's Korea office has named a staff member from within its own ranks as director, marking the first internal promotion to the top post in the office's history and breaking with the longstanding practice of appointing French headquarters staff or outside specialists.
Atout France said Jeong Hye-won, who had been serving as acting director of the Korea office, was officially appointed director effective Tuesday.
Jeong is the first Korean director of the office to have joined as a regular employee and risen through the ranks to the position. The appointment is considered highly unusual given that the office has historically been led either by French directors dispatched from headquarters or by Korean professionals brought in from outside. Some say the appointment of a Korean director will also give a significant boost to efforts to develop themed tourism tailored to domestic travelers and to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Jeong began her career in French tourism in 1996 as an in-flight interpreter for Air France. She joined Atout France's Korea office in 1998 and has spent the past 28 years promoting France as a travel destination and handling marketing for the Korean market.
Drawing on shifts and trends in the Korean travel market, Jeong has led marketing and promotional projects with regional tourism boards and industry partners across France, focusing on expanding tourism exchange between Korea and France and raising awareness of France's appeal as a destination.
"Having built 28 years of on-the-ground experience at Atout France, I feel the full weight of the responsibility that comes with leading the Korea office," Jeong said. "I will actively introduce in-depth, high-quality travel experiences, sustainable travel, and themed itineraries that let visitors immerse themselves in local culture and lifestyle — all in line with the rapidly evolving trends of the Korean travel market."
She also said she would work to bring greater depth and breadth to the diverse charms of France's regions — its culture, gastronomy and natural landscapes — that have yet to be fully discovered by Korean travelers. "I will devote all my efforts to taking Korea-France tourism exchange to the next level, built on close collaboration with industry partners in both countries," she said.
terry@heraldcorp.com
