Kim SunHwan was elected president of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church on October 13, during the 2026 Annual Council.
Serving as the nominating committee between General Conference (GC) Sessions, the NSD Executive Committee (EXCom) met and recommended Kim to the GC EXCom. During the NSD EXCom meeting, Erton Köhler, GC president, prefaced the discussion, emphasizing the need for accountability, transparency, and fairness. The recommendation was brought to the GC EXCom, where the global delegates approved his appointment.
Kim succeeds Kang SoonGi, whose resignation was accepted by the GC EXCom on October 9. His election fills the leadership vacancy in the division, which oversees the Church’s work in nine countries and territories. The division serves nearly 700 million people, including more than 365,000 Adventist members.
Reflecting on his election, Kim acknowledged the division's challenges and expressed trust in God’s guidance.
“I feel humbled and somewhat apprehensive as I take on this responsibility at a time when our division faces many challenges,” Kim said. “However, I have accepted this call, trusting in the promise of Romans 11:29 that ‘God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.’”
“Relying entirely on God, I will do my very best to serve Him and His Church faithfully,” he continued. “I humbly ask for your prayers as I undertake this responsibility.”
Köhler welcomed Kim’s election and highlighted his commitment to mission.
“He is a very balanced leader with a strong focus on mission,” stated Köhler. “Both qualities are especially important to the Church at this time.”
Experience in church leadership
Kim most recently served as president of the Egypt Field, a position he assumed in August 2025. He brings more than three decades of pastoral and administrative experience to his new role.
Before his appointment in Egypt, Kim held several leadership positions within NSD, including director of Adventist Mission, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL), and Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries. He also served as associate secretary of the division from 2021 to 2022.
Köhler emphasized the value of Kim’s international experience and the perspective it brings to his new responsibilities.
“His experience serving in both the Northern Asia-Pacific Division and Egypt Field has given him a global perspective of the Church,” Köhler expressed. “This can help him lead the division while keeping it connected to the worldwide Church.”
Kim previously served as senior pastor of Ilsan English Church in the West-Central Korean Conference. He also held leadership positions with the Seventh-day Adventist Language School in Korea, serving as executive secretary before becoming director of its language center in the Philippines.
During his time as PARL director, Kim was involved in a landmark 2019 South Korean Supreme Court ruling concerning Sabbath accommodation. The case involved Han JiMan, a Seventh-day Adventist medical student who sought an alternative examination schedule because of his religious observance. The ruling represented an important development in protecting the religious freedom of Sabbath observers in South Korea.
Kim earned a bachelor’s degree in theology from Sahmyook University in South Korea and a master’s degree in religion, specializing in New Testament studies, from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) in the Philippines. He recently completed his doctorate in mission and applied theology from Sahmyook University.
Kim is married to Park SookJa, and they have two adult married sons and two granddaughters.
