천해성은 현재 서울대학교 통일평화연구원에서 객원연구원으로 일하고 있다. 1987년부터 통일부에서 근무하였으며, 통일부 대변인, 남북회담본부장, 통일정책실장, 차관(2017-2019)을 역임하였다. 초대 남북공동연락사무소 남측 소장으로도 근무했다. 통일·대북정책, 남북대화 등 한반도 평화정착과 남북관계 발전을 위한 연구를 계속하고 있다.

Chun Hae-sung is currently working as a Visiting Fellow, Institute for Peace and Unification Studies, Seoul National University. Since 1987, he has worked in the Ministry of Unification and served as a spokesperson for the MOU, the deputy minister for Inter-Korean Dialogue, the deputy minister for Unification Policy, and the Vice Minister of Unification(2017-2019). He served as the first South Korean Chief of the inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office. He continues his research on the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula and the development of inter-Korean relations, including unification, North Korea policy, and inter-Korean dialogue.