By Yi Whan-woo
Former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Sung Kim has been named the acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.
This, according to diplomatic sources, will make Kim the only official in the Joe Biden administration to have served in all three key posts related to North Korea, conditional on Senate approval of his new appointment.
As well as ambassador, and now assistant secretary of state, he was also the special representative for North Korea policy, who spearheaded the U.S. side in denuclearization dialogue with the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia.
A career diplomat, Kim was ambassador to Seoul (2011-14) and the special representative for North Korea policy (2014-16), before being appointed ambassador to the Philippines and then Indonesia, respectively.
The U.S. State Department's website showed Kim was appointed Wednesday with the launch of the Biden administration.
In his new job, Kim will oversee policies involving South Korea, China, Japan and the East Asia and Pacific region.
"Possibly no one in the new U.S. government will know about North Korea-related issues better than Sung Kim," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University. "I don't think he will have any problems in getting down to work right away."
The professor noted that the fact Kim has no "employment gap" under three administrations ― Barack Obama, Donald Trump and now Biden ― makes him "dependable and trustworthy."
Park pointed out that some diplomats, such as Secretary of State nominee Tony Blinken and Deputy Secretary of State nominee Wendy Sherman were shunned by Trump after they worked for Obama.
"I am certain Kim's diplomatic acumen has been sharpened over the years, and this will be helpful in dealing with North Korea," Park said.
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| Former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Sung Kim has been named the acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. Yonhap |
This, according to diplomatic sources, will make Kim the only official in the Joe Biden administration to have served in all three key posts related to North Korea, conditional on Senate approval of his new appointment.
As well as ambassador, and now assistant secretary of state, he was also the special representative for North Korea policy, who spearheaded the U.S. side in denuclearization dialogue with the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia.
A career diplomat, Kim was ambassador to Seoul (2011-14) and the special representative for North Korea policy (2014-16), before being appointed ambassador to the Philippines and then Indonesia, respectively.
The U.S. State Department's website showed Kim was appointed Wednesday with the launch of the Biden administration.
In his new job, Kim will oversee policies involving South Korea, China, Japan and the East Asia and Pacific region.
"Possibly no one in the new U.S. government will know about North Korea-related issues better than Sung Kim," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University. "I don't think he will have any problems in getting down to work right away."
The professor noted that the fact Kim has no "employment gap" under three administrations ― Barack Obama, Donald Trump and now Biden ― makes him "dependable and trustworthy."
Park pointed out that some diplomats, such as Secretary of State nominee Tony Blinken and Deputy Secretary of State nominee Wendy Sherman were shunned by Trump after they worked for Obama.
"I am certain Kim's diplomatic acumen has been sharpened over the years, and this will be helpful in dealing with North Korea," Park said.
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