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5h ago

Seoul Names Ex-Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha Ambassador to the U.S.

The veteran diplomat's posting positions Seoul to tighten coordination for President Trump's APEC visit.

Former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (C) meets with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik at the National Assembly on Sept. 29, 2025. (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • Seoul's foreign ministry confirmed her formal appointment on Wednesday, completing the Lee administration's selection announced in August.
  • Kang becomes President Lee Jae Myung's first envoy in Washington, filling a key post for the new government's U.S. outreach.
  • She is expected to help organize President Donald Trump's planned trip to South Korea for the APEC summit and prepare a Lee–Trump summit.
  • Her agenda includes tariff negotiations with Washington, work on U.S.-led alliance modernization, and potential revisions to the nuclear cooperation agreement.
  • Kang previously served as foreign minister from 2017 to 2021 and as UN deputy high commissioner for human rights, credentials experts say fit the push for closer policy coordination as prospects for renewed U.S.–North Korea diplomacy are discussed.