MDPI names Head of South Korea office as 500th journal announces first ever South Korean Editor-in Chief

Sangwoo Lee, Head of South Korea Office, MDPI

MDPI, an open access publisher, has named Sangwoo Lee as Head of its South Korea office, leading operations in the country and overseeing marketing, communications, and external affairs. 

Lee brings more than 20 years of experience in communications and previously served as Chief Director of Strategic Communications at Prain Global.

He has also held senior roles at Synergy Hill and Synergy Burson (previously Knowlton) and Macoll Consulting Group working with clients including Proctor and Gamble, McDonald’s, and Microsoft.

For two years, Lee has supported MDPI’s public relations and public affairs in his role at Prain, focusing on engaging with policy stakeholders, university libraries, and key partners.

“My priority is to support the continued growth and excellence of MDPI Korea,” Lee comments. “We are already a trusted partner of the South Korean research community, having published nearly 11,000 research articles from South Korea in 2025 alone. This is an exciting moment for MDPI and for open-access publishing in Korea and I am thrilled to be part of it.” 

The appointment coincides with a significant milestone for MDPI Korea as the publisher’s Journal of Innovation, its 500th title, has named Professor Dr Junic Kim as its founding Editor-in-Chief. Kim is the first South Korean scholar to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of an MDPI journal.

Stefan Tochev, CEO at MDPI, adds: “Sangwoo joins MDPI at a time of significant growth in South Korea, including the appointment of our first South Korean Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Junic Kim. Deepening local leadership and engagement is essential as we continue to build trust, editorial excellence, and long-term partnerships in South Korea. These developments reflect our commitment to inclusivity, editorial leadership, and the expansion of Open Access knowledge worldwide.