Young Tae Kim takes office as ITF Secretary-General

The International Transport Forum (ITF) at the OECD has a new Secretary-General. Dr Young Tae Kim, a Korean national, took up his position at the organisation’s Paris headquarters on 21 August. Kim is the first non-European to lead the world’s only all-modes transport organisation. The ITF acts as a policy think tank for its 59 member countries and organises the annual summit of transport ministers. Created as global intergovernmental transport organisation in 2006, the ITF evolved out of the European
August 22, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The 998 International Transport Forum (ITF) at the 7353 OECD has a new Secretary-General. Dr Young Tae Kim, a Korean national, took up his position at the organisation’s Paris headquarters on 21 August.


Kim is the first non-European to lead the world’s only all-modes transport organisation.

The ITF acts as a policy think tank for its 59 member countries and organises the annual summit of transport ministers. Created as global intergovernmental transport organisation in 2006, the ITF evolved out of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport founded in 1953.

“It is a privilege to lead an organisation that drives global dialogue for better transport”, Kim said upon taking office. “I thank the ministers of transport of ITF member countries for entrusting me with the leadership of ITF. I will work with all of them to consolidate what has been achieved, to make our work even more relevant for them, and to further strengthen the ITF’s global impact.”

“Transport technology and services are changing in dramatic ways that require new policy responses. I want ITF to be a global pioneer of advanced transport policies for the 21st century”, Kim added.

Kim paid tribute to his predecessor, José Viegas, saying his achievements over the past five years provide a strong foundation to build on.

Prior to becoming ITF Secretary-General, Kim served as a Director-General in Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. His career also included roles working for the President and the Prime Minister of Korea as well as three years at the Korean Embassy in Washington, DC. Kim holds a doctorate degree from the Institute d’Etudes Politiques (Science-Po) in Paris, France.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • US transportation secretary supports Infrastructure Week
    May 12, 2015
    In support of the third annual Infrastructure Week, US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is participating in events in Washington and will then head out to meet with state and local leaders, business leaders and academics in Tennessee, California, and Iowa. “Our nation’s economy and the way we live both depend on having strong infrastructure,” Secretary Foxx said. “But the truth is that our current levels of investment are falling short of what is needed just to keep our existing system safe and in g
    Read More
  • ITS America maps out implications and opportunities for ITS industry
    November 28, 2012
    A critical milestone was reached in July 2012, when the US Congress passed, and President Obama signed, legislation reauthorising the nation's surface transportation programs, breaking a nearly three-year log-jam which had blocked critical transportation reforms and delayed much-needed infrastructure projects. In a town where compromise is sometimes considered an endangered species, Republicans and Democrats came together during a months-long series of negotiations and hashed out a bipartisan agreement that
    Read More
  • Europe’s EasyWay project accommodates political requirements
    May 29, 2013
    The EasyWay project has evolved to take account of political developments at the European level. By Jason Barnes The European Union’s (EU’s) EasyWay ITS deployment project has its roots in the ambitions of former European Commission President Jacques Delors with regard to truly international networks for energy, information and for transport. Definition of what became known as the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) began back in 1994 with seven working groups. They produced an R&D and policy framework
    Read More
  • Smart phones offer smarter way to pay for travel
    December 16, 2013
    David Crawford reviews developments in near field communications for mass transit payments. ‘A carefully-designed and well-implemented mobile near field communications (NFC) solutions can give passengers a compelling experience that will encourage them to make greater use of public transport.’ That was the confident conclusion of a recent joint White Paper drawn up by the International Association of Public Transport and the global mobile operators’ representative group GSMA.
    Read More

Highlighted Content