Lee Jae-myung's government has appointed former Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha as the first ambassador to the U.S. Former ambassador to Vietnam Lee Hyeok has been appointed as the first ambassador to Japan.
According to the Presidential Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 18th, the Presidential Office has begun the agrément process concerning the appointments of former Minister Kang and former Ambassador Lee to the positions of ambassadors to the U.S. and Japan, respectively. After President Lee presents the ambassadors with their letters of credence, they will be officially appointed as ambassadors after going through the letter of credence process with the sending country's leader.
With the Korea-Japan summit on the 23rd and the Korea-U.S. summit on the 25th approaching, it is interpreted that the appointment process for the ambassadors of both countries has begun.
Former Minister Kang served as the first Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Moon Jae-in government, as well as serving as a special policy advisor to the UN Secretary-General and chargé d'affaires at the Republic of Korea Mission to the United Nations. Currently, she holds the position of chairperson at the Asia Society, a think tank established to promote understanding between the U.S. and Asia.
Born in 1958, former Ambassador Lee is a fellow of the 13th foreign service exam with National Security Office Director Wi Sung-lak. He has served as chargé d'affaires at the Japanese embassy, head of the Northeast Asia Division, and Director-General of the Asia-Pacific Bureau, and is considered a prominent 'Japan expert' within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Former Ambassador Lee has argued that strengthening cooperation with Japan is inevitable given Korea's geopolitical circumstances and has advocated for 'a future-oriented relationship between the two countries.'