WASHINGTON, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Changyong Rhee, director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s Asia and Pacific Department, will relinquish his role immediately following his nomination as a candidate for South Korea's central bank governor, the IMF announced Wednesday.

       Rhee, who joined the Fund in February 2014, intends to retire from the Fund in early April.

       During his eight years at the helm of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, Rhee has made a "tremendous" impact in strengthening the Fund's relationship with Asian member countries, said IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

       "His vast knowledge of Asian economies and politics - as well as his wide network - have helped to forge trust with our members," Georgieva said, noting that his great strength is in seeing both sides of an issue.

       Noting that Rhee stands out as a champion of analytical rigor, the IMF chief said he has led the integration of new and emerging themes into the Fund's surveillance activities.

       Prior to joining the Fund, Rhee served as chief economist at the Asian Development Bank from 2011 to 2014 and Secretary General and Sherpa of the Presidential Committee for the 2010 G20 Seoul Summit from 2009 to 2011, according to the IMF.

       Before that, Rhee was the vice chairman of the Financial Services Commission and Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission of Korea, a professor of Economics at Seoul National University, and Assistant Professor at the University of Rochester. He was also a frequent and active policy advisor to the Government of Korea, including to the Office of the President.