Seoul — The United States is expected to replace its acting ambassador in South Korea just before President Donald Trump heads to Seoul for an APEC business summit. Acting Ambassador Joseph Yun is likely to step down next week after serving for nine months. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kevin Kim is seen as the frontrunner to succeed him.
Trump is scheduled to visit South Korea on October 29‑30 for the Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings. The trip comes as the U.S. and South Korean governments work to strengthen their close alliance.
Yun stepped into the ambassador role in January, before President Trump took office. His brief tenure has focused on keeping the U.S.–South Korea partnership strong amid rising regional tensions.
That same weekend, the top U.S. and South Korean military leaders held a telephone call to discuss how best to deepen their alliance. General Jin Yong‑sung, the new Chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General Dan Caine, his U.S. counterpart, confirmed that the security situation on the peninsula remains stable thanks to the solid U.S.–South Korea defense partnership. They agreed to meet again next month in Seoul to talk about further cooperation. This call marked General Jin’s first official conversation since taking office in late September.
At the same time, high‑level trade talks between Seoul and Washington are making headline news. Kim Yong‑beom, a senior adviser to South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung, said the two countries are now negotiating in what he described as the most “earnest and constructive” atmosphere to date. The talks focus on finalizing details of a $350 billion investment commitment that was agreed in July.
Kim arrived in Washington with Industry Minister Kim Jung‑kwan and Finance Minister Koo Yun‑cheol, officials who have joined the U.S. delegation to push the negotiations forward. In a statement heard at the airport, Kim promised to “do our utmost to ensure that negotiations will be wrapped up in a direction that serves Korea’s national interests.”
The U.S. ambassador’s replacement will be announced shortly, but the leadership transition will take place amid a busy schedule of diplomatic and military coordination as both countries prepare for President Trump’s historic visit to Seoul.
Source: ianslive
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