(2nd LD) Acting U.S. ambassador leaves post in S. Korea: foreign ministry

▲ Acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) S Korea-US-diplomacy

(2nd LD) Acting U.S. ambassador leaves post in S. Korea: foreign ministry

(ATTN: ADDS comments from U.S. Embassy in Seoul)

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- Acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim has left his post in Seoul and returned to the United States, the foreign ministry said Wednesday, amid speculation he may be assigned a new role in the Trump administration related to Korea issues.

Kim's departure came just about two months after he took up the post as charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul in October last year.

Kim succeeded then acting U.S. Ambassador Joseph Yun after the position had remained vacant since former U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Philip Goldberg left the post early last year following the launch of the second Trump administration.

Kim recently informed Seoul officials he returned to the U.S., according to the foreign ministry.

Jim Heller, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, will serve as charge d'affaires in the meantime, the embassy said.

Sources say that Kim could be tapped for a new role handling Korea-related issues, possibly a position tasked with implementing the summit agreements reached between the allies on security and other matters, or dealing with North Korea issues.

Kim has likely been named a senior adviser to Allison Hooker, U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs, a diplomatic source said. Both Hooker and Kim were deeply involved in nuclear negotiations with North Korea during Trump's first term, when denuclearization talks were in full swing.

The U.S. Embassy in Seoul declined to provide details on Kim's next assignment.

"We have no further personnel announcements to make at this time," it said.

Prior to his posting in Seoul, Kim served as U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and Taiwan at the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Kim's departure leaves the ambassadorial post in Seoul vacant once again. Goldberg assumed the position more than a year after the Biden administration took office. It took about 18 months for Ambassador Harry Harris to take up the post under Trump's first term.

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