WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department has named the former U.S. ambassador to South Korea as its new chief envoy handling its vexed diplomacy with neighboring North Korea.
Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday named Sung Kim as special envoy for North Korea policy, succeeding Glyn Davies, who held the post since January 2012.
The U.S. does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea and ties are further strained by Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program and detention of two American citizens.
Kim will also serve as deputy assistant secretary for Korea and Japan.
Kim was the first Korean-American to become U.S. ambassador to South Korea, a post he has held for the past three years. Before that, he was special envoy to six-nation talks on North Korea’s nuclear program.
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