Acting U.S. ambassador leaves Seoul after two months

Kevin Kim, the acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea, is expected to leave the country and return to the United States to take on a role overseeing Korean Peninsula policy, sources said Jan. 6, about 70 days after he assumed the post. Kim’s sudden return to Washington, D.C., after his appointment on Oct. 27 last year, is expected to further prolong the vacancy in the U.S. ambassadorial post in Seoul, which has remained unfilled for a year since former Ambassador Philip Goldberg’s departure.

Multiple U.S. sources said Kim, who traveled to the United States for the Christmas holidays, is now expected to remain in Washington, D.C. He is likely to move into a senior position at either the White House or the State Department. Another diplomatic source said Kim is expected to work with Allison Hooker, the U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs, overseeing day-to-day coordination of Asia policy, including matters related to the Korean Peninsula. As a result, James Heller, the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, is expected to serve as acting ambassador for the time being.

Kim is also expected to oversee follow-up working-level negotiations on joint fact sheets between South Korea and the United States, including those related to nuclear-powered submarines, which are expected to gain momentum early this year. After the launch of Donald Trump’s second administration, Kim served as deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. He is widely regarded as an expert on Korean Peninsula issues, having handled working-level negotiations during North Korea-U.S. talks under the first Trump administration.

However, concerns are growing that the absence of a Senate-confirmed ambassador could persist, as Kim is returning just over two months after assuming the post. President Trump has yet to nominate ambassadors not only to South Korea but also to key allies such as Germany and Australia.


Na-Ri Shin journari@donga.com