Foreign ministry spokesperson Park Il speaks during a regular briefing at the Government Complex Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducted a major reshuffle, sending experienced diplomats to key positions overseeing U.S. affairs as tensions with Washington mount over thehandling of e-commerce company Coupangand a broader set of trade and security disputes.
According to sources, Kim Sun-young, director-general for bilateral economic affairs who had been handling the Coupang matter from Seoul, will be appointed minister counselor for economic affairs at the Korean Embassy in the U.S. Yoon Joo-seok, director-general for consular affairs and safety, will take up the post of minister counselor for public diplomacy there.
At the ministry’s headquarters in Seoul, Yi Won-woo, the current deputy director-general for North American Affairs, has been promoted to director-general of the department. Yi has built most of his career around U.S. affairs, with experience spanning security and North Korea intelligence issues, as well as from several years of service in Nigeria. Chun Young-Hee, ambassador to Luxembourg, was reportedly appointed minister for political affairs at the Washingtonon embassy, a post that had been vacant for months.
On the consular side, Kim Sang-ho, a former Hanam City mayor and non-career diplomat, was appointed to lead the Korean Consulate General in New York. The appointment means both of Korea's senior diplomatic posts in New York are now held by non-career special appointees — Kim at the consulate general and Cha Ji-hun, a lawyer who previously served as President Lee Jae Myung's defense attorney, at the United Nations.
The reshuffle also addressed longstanding vacancies beyond U.S.-related posts, with ambassadors named to previously unfilled positions in France, Kuwait and the Geneva mission.
The appointments come as ties between Seoul and Washington have grown strained on multiple fronts. Washington has signaled displeasure over Seoul's regulatory treatment of Coupang, whose U.S.-headquartered parent company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The U.S. has also reportedly stopped some intelligence sharing with Korea and trade and security talks between the two allies have stalled.
Insiders said the reshuffle is widely interpreted within the ministry as an effort to soothe tensions with Washington and also noted that the such simultaneous replacement of key ambassadorial and ministerial posts in the same cycle is unusual.
The foreign ministry, however, dismissed the claims that the reshuffle was linked to rows with Washington.
Ministry spokesperson Park Il said during a briefing Thursday the appointments were based on expertise and duties, adding that the reshuffle has been conducted in line with regular personnel rotations.
Source: Korea Times News
