Seong-Hee Lee

Who is Seong-Hee Lee?

Dr. Seong-Hee Lee is the former director general of the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Suwon, Korea. He still serves NICS as a senior researcher and is lecturing at Dankook University in plant physiology and experimental statistics.He earned degrees at Seoul National University (B.S. in agricultural science, major in agronomy) in 1979 and Lincoln University College of Canterbury University, New Zealand (diploma in agricultural science in 1986 and Ph.D. in plant science in 1991). He also took a policy development course for top-ranking officers in 2001 at the Central Government Officials Training Institute.He worked for various agricultural technical and research institutions: National Seed Production and Distribution Office and National Agricultural Materials Inspection Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF); and Agro-chemicals Research Institute, Wheat and Barley Research Institute, and International Technical Cooperation Center (ITTC) of RDA. He also served as director of ITTC and head of the Research Planning Division, Research Management Bureau of RDA. Before becoming director general of NICS, he served as director general for most of the Korean agricultural research institutions under RDA as follows: (1) Agricultural Resources Department, National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology; (2) National Highland Agricultural Research Institute; (3) National Honam Agricultural Research Institute; and (4) National Youngnam Agricultural Research Institute.He has published five books and more than 180 scientific papers and technical articles on agriculture. He has also participated in 45 international projects and meetings as the national representative or project coordinator for FAO, UNDP, UNIDO, AARDO, UPOV, FFTC, CGIAR centers, APAARI, CORRA, etc. He holds membership and senior positions in 15 local and international scientific and technical societies and academic institutions, and served in the following positions: chairman, Council for Rice Research Partnerships in Asia (CORRA) in 2004-05; president, Korean Society of International Agricultural Development in 2006-07; president, Korean Society of Reclaimed-Land Agriculture in 2003-04; vice president, Korean Crop Science Society in 2005-06; Organizing Committee of the 5th International Crop Science Congress in 2004-present; Korean Society of Wheat and Barley Development in 2003-04; Korean Society of Rice Development in 2005-07; Korean Society of Seed Industry Development in 2005-present; and Korean Society of North Korean Agriculture in 2003-06. He was also concurrent professor, Postgraduate Schools of Chunbuk University, in 2004-05, and at Kangwon University in 2005-06.