Korea Investment Corporation has created a new senior research role as the agency seeks to expand in the alternatives space.

Korea Investment Corporation, the sovereign wealth fund of the Government of Korea, has created a new senior research position as part of efforts to increase its footprint in the alternative investments space. 

Lee Jeong Ja has joined the agency as director of the affiliate research centre, writes Asia Asset. Lee brings considerable experience to the role, having worked as a securities analyst for WI Carr Securities at the start of her career in the 1980s before moving to HSBC Securities Korea to become the head of research and branch manager. KIC has not updated its website with this information and has not yet responded to queries from this publication as of press time.

Her appointment comes as KIC is seeking to double its alternative investment presence, particularly in areas of private equity, real estate and hedge funds over the next decade. The firm named a new chief investment officer, Choo Heung Sik, just in March 2014. 

KIC was created in 2005 to manage assets entrusted by the government and the Bank of Korea, and primarily invests in public equity, fixed income, commodities and alternative investments. Beyond Korea, it has offices in New York and London and also invests in Mainland China. As at the end of third quarter of 2013, the agency recorded around $62.5 billion in assets under management.