(LEAD) Biden taps Goldberg as new U.S. ambassador to S. Korea

Diplomacy 06:55 February 12, 2022

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from South Korean Foreign Minister Chung, more information in paras 4-8)
By Byun Duk-kun

HONOLULU, Feb. 11 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Joe Biden has nominated a senior member of the U.S. foreign service, Philip Goldberg, as new U.S. ambassador to South Korea, the White House said Friday.

"Philip Goldberg is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Career Ambassador, and currently is the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Colombia," the White House said in a press release.

Ambassador Goldberg, if appointed, will replace Harry Harris who stepped down when Biden took office on Jan. 20, 2021.

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong welcomed Goldberg's nomination.

"It turns out that he (Goldberg) is a highly respected diplomat at the state department," Chung said, speaking with reporters in Hawaii.

"I have high expectations because he is a seasoned diplomat, a well-experienced diplomat. I hope his confirmation process will be completed quickly so he will come to South Korea at an early date," he added.

Goldberg is a career ambassador, the highest diplomatic rank in U.S. foreign service.

Chung is currently on a visit to Hawaii for bilateral and trilateral talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, set to be held Saturday.

Goldberg has served as coordinator for implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874 on North Korea in 2009-2010 before serving as U.S. ambassador to the Philippines between 2013 and 2016.

His past foreign service posts include serving as ambassador to Bolivia, and the Philippines, as well as the assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research, according to the White House and the State Department. Goldberg has been serving as U.S. ambassador to Colombia since September 2019.