Joseph Yun, then the US special representative for North Korea policy, addresses a press conference in Tokyo on Feb. 1, 2018. (Kyodo News via Getty Images)
Joseph Yun, then the US special representative for North Korea policy, addresses a press conference in Tokyo on Feb. 1, 2018. (Kyodo News via Getty Images)

Washington is expected to replace acting Ambassador to South Korea Joseph Yun ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, at the end of this month, diplomatic sources said Sunday.

According to multiple sources, Yun, who has served as the acting envoy in Seoul for about nine months, since January, is expected to step down around Oct. 26. His successor is likely to be Kevin Kim, a Korean American who currently serves as deputy assistant secretary in the US State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and oversees Korean Peninsula affairs in the Trump administration’s second term.

Unlike a full ambassadorial post, which requires Senate confirmation, Kim could assume the acting ambassador position immediately, once named.

The timing of the personnel change — just ahead of a major international event such as the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 APEC summit, which will bring Trump to South Korea — is being described by observers as highly unusual.

The exact reason for Yun’s sudden departure remains unclear. However, some in diplomatic circles believe the decision may be politically motivated, as Yun, who assumed the post on Jan. 11, days before Trump’s inauguration, is seen as a holdover from the previous Joe Biden administration.

Speculation has also surfaced that Kim’s appointment could be linked to potential diplomatic maneuvers involving North Korea during Trump’s visit. Kim previously worked under Stephen Biegun, the State Department’s special representative for North Korea from 2018 to 2020, and was involved in working-level coordination for the historic US–North Korea summits during Trump’s first term.

Late this month, the APEC summit in Gyeongju is expected to draw global leaders, including Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Speculation has intensified in recent days about whether the event could also serve as a venue for a surprise encounter between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, though experts in Seoul remain skeptical that such a meeting will take place.


mkjung@heraldcorp.com