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Kevin Kim formally appointed as acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea

Published: 27 Oct. 2025, 17:03 Updated: 27 Oct. 2025, 17:32

Kevin Kim, the Korean-American deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. State Department [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The U.S. Embassy in Korea on Monday formally announced the appointment of Kevin Kim, a former State Department deputy assistant secretary, as acting ambassador, saying he will work to advance mutual interests.

"Charge d'Affaires Kim will work with the embassy team and the ROK government to advance our mutual interests and shared values, as well as our ironclad commitment to the U.S.-ROK Alliance," the embassy said on its website.

ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea.

The embassy "welcomes [...] Kim's appointment as the U.S. continues to strengthen our shared security, encourage increased ROK investment in the American economy and enhance our cooperation across other areas of common concern," it also said.

Kim previously served as deputy assistant secretary for Japan, South Korea and Mongolia at the State Department, a professional staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee and a national security fellow in Sen. Bill Hagerty's office.

The embassy also expressed its "deep appreciation" for outgoing acting Ambassador Joseph Yun.

The appointment of Kim, who was deeply involved in U.S. diplomacy toward North Korea and in Korean Peninsula issues under Trump's first term, comes amid growing speculation about another meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Trump called North Korea a "sort of nuclear power" as he reiterated his wish to meet Kim during his ongoing Asian trip, which includes a stop in South Korea on Wednesday and Thursday on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering.

Kevin Kim served as chief of staff to Stephen Biegun, then U.S. special representative for North Korea from 2018-2020, a period during which all three of Trump's previous meetings with Kim Jong-un took place.

According to the website of the State Department, Kevin Kim played a major role in organizing those Trump-Kim meetings in Singapore, Vietnam and the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom from 2018-2019.

Yonhap