홍재형은 한국 통일부에서 정책관료로서 오랫동안 근무하면서 여러 부서장 직책을 담당하였다. 사회문화교류국장, 경수로사업지원기획단 정책조정부장, 개성공업지구지원단장, 남북회담본부장 등을 역임하면서 주로 남북 교류협력사업 등 여러 현안문제를 해결하기 위한 남북간 접촉 및 회담 업무를 수행하였다. 통일부 근무의 마지막 임기에서는 사회 및 학교 통일교육 추진에 매진하였다.
정부 공직을 나온 후에는 제주연구원에서 3년 동안 초빙연구원으로 지내면서, 제주 '세계 평화의 섬' 사업과 연계한 제주의 대북교류협력 관련 연구를 수행하기도 하였다. 앞으로도 이와 같은 경력을 배경으로 북한문제 및 남북한관계에 지속적인 관심을 기울일 것으로 기대된다.

Jae Hyung Hong joined the ROK Ministry of Unification through the standard examination process for the administration service as a career civil servant. He worked at the Bureau of Social and Cultural Exchanges, at the Office of Planning for the Light Water Reactor Project. He also served as chief officer of the ROK Mission to Kaesung Industrial District, and as deputy minister for South-North Dialogue, where he was involved in the inter-Korean contacts and talks surrounding the diplomatic settlements accompanying the cooperation promotion between South-North relations. During the final term of his government career, he was devoted to extending civil and school educations on national unification. After retirement, he was also a visiting fellow at the Jeju Research Institute, where he focused particularly on researching the plan of ‘Jeju Island of World Peace’ initiative. With his career background, he continues to follow developments in North Korea as well as inter-Korean relations.