Rev. Billy Kim heads to US as Korean special envoy for Jimmy Carter's state funeral

Rev. Billy Kim and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in this Sept. 28, 1970, file photo. Courtesy of FEBC-Korea

Rev. Billy Kim, chairman of the leading Christian radio network Far East Broadcasting (FEBC)-Korea, will attend the state funeral of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter as a representative of the Korean government.

The funeral, set for Thursday in Washington, is exclusive to those who shared a close relationship with the deceased during his lifetime.

Carter, who died last month at the age of 100, had a longstanding connection with Rev. Kim dating back to the 1970s.

According to FEBC-Korea, Kim first met Carter at a Baptist event in the U.S. when Carter was governor of Georgia. Kim, who led the Baptist World Alliance from 2000 to 2005, continued to engage with Carter over the decades.

"When former President Carter came to Korea in 1979 to meet the then President Park Chung-hee, these two met. We understand that the chairman asked Carter to suggest to President Park that he should attend church, and Carter actually told Park to do so," an aide of the chairman and a high-ranking official of FEBC-Korea said.

Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it recommended Kim to visit the U.S. as the government’s special envoy, believing it would benefit diplomacy with the United States.

"The government plans to dispatch FEBC-Korea Chairman Billy Kim as the representative of the condolence delegation to former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral, which will be held on Thursday, Jan. 9, in Washington," Lee Jae-woong, a spokesperson of the foreign ministry said during a briefing Tuesday.

"We understand that Chairman Kim has maintained a relationship with former President Carter for over 40 years since they first met when Carter was the governor of Georgia. Also, we know that the chairman is well-known in both American political and religious circles."

Rev. Billy Kim, chairman of Far East Broadcasting (FEBC)-Korea, speaks after receiving the Ambassador for Christ and Baptist Statesman Award in this 2008 file photo. Courtesy of FEBC-Korea

It is noteworthy whether Kim will meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to be officially inaugurated on Jan. 20, or officials from the new administration while attending this state funeral.

“Since it's an event for invited guests only, there might be an opportunity to spend time together, and if so, they could naturally exchange greetings," the FEBC-Korea official said.

Kim also has connections with Trump's circle as he has a close relationship with Rev. Franklin Graham, a longtime supporter of Trump.

"Chairman Kim was very close to Rev. Billy Graham and maintains a friendly relationship with his son, Rev. Franklin Graham. We know that Rev. Franklin Graham is very close to Trump, and this could be a point where Trump and the chairman might meet," the official said.

However, the official added that even if the two meet, it would likely be at the level of exchanging greetings, and the chairman is not currently considering mentioning aspects of U.S.-Korea relations or political events.