Expectations and Anxiety for the Prospective New U.S. Ambassador to Korea

The United States government has unofficially decided on Sung Kim (51), Special Envoy for the Six Party Talks and Envoy to North Korea, as the next U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. He would replace current Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, whose term ends in August. Should Kim become ambassador, he would be the first ethnic Korean to occupy such a post in the history of U.S.-Korean diplomatic relations, stretching back to 1882. Kim’s appointment, coming after the March nomination of Chinese-American politician Gary Locke to the post of ambassador to China, is yet another example of the Obama administration’s new communication, emotion and results-focused diplomatic strategy.

Although as an American diplomat, Kim will obviously pursue the interests of the United States, his particular career and capabilities evoke the hope for improvements in the stalled North-South and U.S.-North Korea relations. On the other hand, he is a longtime department man, having made his career through long service in the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, a fact which cannot but raise some skepticism.

Still, Kim is a one-and-a-half generation American, and so in a better position than any of his predecessors to build a true rapport between the United States and Korea. More importantly, he has proven himself to his government as a tried and experienced expert on North Korean relations. This is precisely the point which evokes such hope for Kim’s nomination. After serving as secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul in 2003, he became the first Korean-American Director of the Office of Korean Affairs as well as special envoy to the Six Party Talks. During a career which comprised more than 10 visits to North Korea, Kim came to take on heavier responsibilities, including the post of head of delegation to the Six Party Talks and special envoy to North Korea, a job which he continued through the Obama administration.

However, Sung Kim is first and foremost a pragmatic diplomat, known for his practical approach to North Korean relations. This means that he has not at all had the opportunity to employ his skill set after the start of President Lee Myungbak’s administration. It remains to be seen how he will deal with the complexities of diplomacy on both sides of the DMZ, should his promotion become a reality.

One final point that must be addressed is the crucial role that the U.S. Embassy must play in accurately and impartially relaying popular opinion back to its government. Especially with regard to North Korean relations, there exist many views in society radically different from the current Korean administration. In the past the United States has not always been receptive to this diversity of opinion, to the detriment of a healthy relationship based on facts between the two countries. Sung Kim will have to remember this in order to be a successful U.S. Ambassador to Korea.