Open-access paper publisher MDPI, which promotes ideas across a range of academic fields, has appointed Lee Sang-woo (이상우) as its new Korea country manager, it said on Jan. 26.

Lee will oversee MDPI Korea operations as well as marketing, communications and external cooperation.

Lee has built more than 20 years of experience in communications, having served as head of the research institute at Prain & Rhee (Prain Global Communications Strategy Research Institute), a managing director at Marcal Consulting Group and a director at Synergy Hill+Knowlton, now Synergy Burson.

Since 2024, when MDPI established its Korea office, he supported stronger communications in the country through MDPI PR and PA communications consulting and helped expand MDPI and open-access publishing among major stakeholders such as university libraries and government agencies.

Lee graduated from Seoul National University’s College of Engineering with a degree in textile and polymer engineering. He currently serves as education director at the Korea PR Association and has previously served as an industry-academia director at the Korean Academic Society for Public Relations and as an industry director at the Korean Society for Advertising and Public Relations.

Lee said, “As the new country manager, the top priority is to support MDPI Korea’s sustainable growth and development. In 2025 alone, about 11,000 MDPI research papers were published in Korea, and MDPI has strengthened its position as a partner of the domestic science community. 2026 is a particularly important period for MDPI open-access publishing in Korea, and I am glad to take on an important role as a member of MDPI.”