Jiho Cha
Member of Parliament, The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea
Biography
Jiho Cha is a Member of Parliament (Congressman) in the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, serving on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Unification. He is a physician, global health scholar, and dedicated humanitarian.
After completing his medical training in 2005, Jiho has worked to support marginalized populations around the world, including in North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Indonesia, China, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Libya. He has done this through various organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Human Rights Watch, the South Korean Ministry of Unification, the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration, and academic institutions like the University of Manchester, Johns Hopkins University, and KAIST.
Jiho's research focuses on global responses to crises, especially complex humanitarian emergencies, the impacts of climate change, human migration, and the use of artificial intelligence in humanitarian systems. He has also been associated with the Feinstein International Center at Tufts University and the Center for Humanitarian Health at Johns Hopkins University.
Professional Experience
- (2024–Present) Member of Parliament, Committee on Foreign Affairs and Unification, The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea
- (2024–Present) Chairman, Asia Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health
- (2021–2024) Associate Professor, KAIST, Moonsoul Graduate School of Future Strategy
- (2018–2021) Senior Lecturer and LEAP Program Director, University of Manchester, UK, Humanitarian & Conflict Response Institute
Education