Ambassador Choi Seok Young from the Republic of Korea has become the thirteenth Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat. Choi took over the position on 1 January 2005 from Chilean Executive Director Ambassador Mario Artaza to coincide with the transition of APEC Host Economies from Chile to Korea in 2005. The Singapore-based APEC Secretariat is the principle support mechanism of the organisation of Pacific Rim countries.