By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff Reporter
South Korea will soon appoint a new envoy to the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, replacing Kim Sook, who was named a senior intelligence officer Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
Wi Sung-lac, special policy advisor to Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan, is touted as highly likely to succeed Kim.
Wi, known for extensive expertise in the U.S. and on North Korean nuclear issues, led the foreign ministry's North American affairs bureau from 2003 to 2004 and served as minister for political affairs at the South Korean embassy in Washington from 2004-2007.
Ambassador to Ireland Cho Tae-yong is also on the shortlist of candidates. Cho was deputy chief of the South Korean delegation to the six-way talks from 2004 to 2006.
Other potential candidates under consideration include Kim Kyu-hyun, minister for political affairs at the South Korean embassy in Washington, and Ambassador to Spain Cho Tae-yul, former deputy minister for trade.
Washington has also changed its lead negotiator, as long-serving Christopher Hill is expected to become ambassador to Iraq.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton named Stephen Bosworth as special envoy to North Korea, with Hill's deputy, Sung Kim, heading the US delegation to the six-party talks.