After joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1991, Amb. Lee Sang-hwa has served as diplomat in several countries including the U.S.A, Colombia, and so on. He is also played a significant role in multilateral diplomacy as assistant to the UN Secretary-General, UN Secretariat, NY, U.S.A, Policy Advisor to the Minister, and also as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of the of Myanmar.