By Yi Whan-woo
The United States requested South Korea to accept President Donald Trump's appointment of Victor Cha, a Korean-American expert on North Korea, as Washington's new ambassador to Seoul, according to diplomatic sources, Monday.
Cha, the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, recently passed screening including background checks by the U.S. government after President Trump nominated him as ambassador in August.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has been working closely with the U.S. regarding Cha's appointment, but refused to give further details.
The U.S. will need South Korea's agreement on Cha's appointment for him to begin his new job -- replacing Mark Lippert, who quit after Trump took office in January.
Cha, if approved by the U.S. Senate, is expected to arrive in South Korea and begin his job before the PyeongChang Winter Olympics begins, Feb. 9.
Marc Knapper, charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy here, has been serving as acting ambassador after Lippert, former U.S. President Barack Obama's political appointee, returned home.
It took longer for Trump to select the new U.S. ambassador to South Korea than those to China, Russia and Japan.
Such a delay raised concerns over a leadership vacuum at the U.S. Embassy here amid North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats.
Cha is also the director of Asian studies at Georgetown University's Department of Government and School of Foreign Service.
From 2004 to 2007, he was the director for Asian affairs at the White House on the National Security Council under the George W. Bush administration, during which he received two Outstanding Service Commendations.
Cha was mainly responsible for affairs in the two Koreas, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island nations.
If approved by the Senate, Cha will become the second Korean-American to serve as the top U.S. envoy to Seoul.
The other is Sung Kim, who served in the post from November 2011 to October 2014, before becoming the special representative for North Korea Policy and deputy assistant secretary for Korea and Japan, and U.S. ambassador to the Philippines.
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| Victor Cha |
Cha, the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, recently passed screening including background checks by the U.S. government after President Trump nominated him as ambassador in August.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has been working closely with the U.S. regarding Cha's appointment, but refused to give further details.
The U.S. will need South Korea's agreement on Cha's appointment for him to begin his new job -- replacing Mark Lippert, who quit after Trump took office in January.
Cha, if approved by the U.S. Senate, is expected to arrive in South Korea and begin his job before the PyeongChang Winter Olympics begins, Feb. 9.
Marc Knapper, charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy here, has been serving as acting ambassador after Lippert, former U.S. President Barack Obama's political appointee, returned home.
It took longer for Trump to select the new U.S. ambassador to South Korea than those to China, Russia and Japan.
Such a delay raised concerns over a leadership vacuum at the U.S. Embassy here amid North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats.
Cha is also the director of Asian studies at Georgetown University's Department of Government and School of Foreign Service.
From 2004 to 2007, he was the director for Asian affairs at the White House on the National Security Council under the George W. Bush administration, during which he received two Outstanding Service Commendations.
Cha was mainly responsible for affairs in the two Koreas, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island nations.
If approved by the Senate, Cha will become the second Korean-American to serve as the top U.S. envoy to Seoul.
The other is Sung Kim, who served in the post from November 2011 to October 2014, before becoming the special representative for North Korea Policy and deputy assistant secretary for Korea and Japan, and U.S. ambassador to the Philippines.
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