U.S. ambassador: ‘No worry about S. Korea-U.S. alliance in Trump era’

“I am doing well (thanks to Korea). Folks, I like this phrase ‘I am doing well thanks to you (in Korean).’”

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert singled out "I was doing well thanks to you" as his favorite words that he can speak in Korean. Lippert made the comment in an interview with Channel A’s "News Roundup" program on Dec. 20, his first media interview since the U.S. presidential election (November 8). “I am very grateful to the Korean people for support and help,” the U.S. envoy said. He also said he can confidently speak in Korean, “Hamkke Gapsida (Let’s go together).”

Lippert, a key aide to U.S. President Barack Obama, will most likely be replaced as soon as the Trump administration is inaugurated. “I cannot tell when my term will end, but I enjoyed life in Korea, and will fulfill my duty to the best of my ability… all the way to the end,” said Lippert, who assumed the job in October 2014.

He singled out births of his two children as his most memorable events during his service in Seoul. “We came here as a family of two (himself and his wife Robin Lippert) and we are going to leave a family of four. My children also have Korean names (Se-jun, Se-hee). That will always be part of the Lippert family history,” the diplomat said.

On the terror attack on his face and arm with a lethal knife by a pro-North Korean activist in March last year, Lippert spoke in Korean, “I am still looking good (even after I suffered injuries),” adding, “My arm is about 80 percent (recovered). The thing I do think about from time to time is the response. The support of the Korean people, the reaction of the Korean people, including a Dong-A Ilbo reporter who ran out to Gwanghwamun to bring in a police car.”

“The Korea-U.S. alliance is strong, resilient and dynamic. There have been plenty of bumps in the road that this relationship, this alliance has overcome in the past," he said. "It gave me great confidence that we will be able to overcome this situation (election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president).”

“It is obviously up to the Trump administration, what they will or will not do, but the important point is that we do have mechanisms (the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) that get us to good outcome for all sides,” Lippert said. On the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, he said, “There is a lot of support for FTA in Washington as well. I am not worried.”

On candlelight vigils that have continued for over two months in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul’s Jongno district, the ambassador said, “Peaceful rally is a method that the Korean people opted for, and I respect that democracy in Korea is operating sound and well. What we are seeing is democracy in action (demonstration) and we are seeing that democratic institutions (judgment) in Korea work. And then we are waiting the (Constitutional) court to decide (on impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye).”

When asked what he thought of President Park’s current situation, Lippert flatly declined to comment, saying, “I wouldn’t comment on a domestic political issue.” On some news reports that the U.S. embassy participated in one-minute light-out at the time of the sixth candlelight vigils, he said, “It is not true. The U.S. government does not interfere with Korea’s domestic politics.”

Soong-Ho Cho shcho@donga.com