Tag: Sung Kim

Sung Kim Says that U.S. Made Offer to Restart Talks, But North Korea Has Not Responded

| September 21, 2022

If this communication was about re-starting talks about denuclearization the Kim regime has made it pretty clear they have no interest in such talks:

U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim speaks during a meeting with reporters at the U.S. ambassadorial residence in Seoul on Sept. 20, 2022. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

The United States made yet another dialogue offer to North Korea this summer through a communication channel in New York, but the North has not responded, Washington’s top nuclear envoy said Tuesday.

U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim said that the overture was made through the so-called New York channel, involving the North’s diplomatic mission at the U.N., in July, as he highlighted the Joe Biden administration’s continued commitment to reengage with Pyongyang.

“I believe our last communication with the DPRK was during the summer. We sent the message reiterating our interest in re-engagement and also re-offering our assistance in COVID-related items,” Kim said in a meeting with reporters in Seoul, referring to the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “But I say ‘no interest’ (from the North) in the sense that they have not responded to any of our messages.”

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Picture of the Day: Sung Kim in Seoul After Meeting with North Koreans

| June 3, 2018

U.S. envoy Sung Kim in Seoul

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim enters the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on June 1, 2018, to meet with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. Sung Kim, a former chief U.S. nuclear envoy, met with North Korean officials at the truce village of Panmunjom over the past few days for talks on North Korea’s denuclearization methods and timelines and ensuring the North’s regime security. The U.S. and North Korean delegations were led by Sung Kim and North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, respectively. (Yonhap)

Tweet of the Day: Sung Kim Leads US Negotiating Team Into North Korea

| May 28, 2018

Sung Kim Sworn In as US Ambassador to the Philippines

| November 6, 2016

Via a reader tip comes news that Korean-American diplomat Sung Kim has been sworn in as the US Ambassador to the Philippines:

Secretary of State John Kerry administers the oath of office to Sung Kim, joined by his wife Jae, center, as U.S. Ambassador to Philippines, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, during a ceremony at the State Department in Washington. AP/Carolyn Kaster
Secretary of State John Kerry administers the oath of office to Sung Kim, joined by his wife Jae, center, as U.S. Ambassador to Philippines, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, during a ceremony at the State Department in Washington. AP/Carolyn Kaster

Secretary of State John Kerry expressed confidence Thursday that the U.S. relationship with the Philippines can survive recent turbulence as he swore in a new U.S. ambassador to the Southeast Asian nation.

Kerry administered the oath of office to Sung Kim, formerly the chief U.S. envoy for North Korea policy, in a ceremony at the State Department.

Kim, a career diplomat, takes up his new position in turbulent times. Outspoken Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in June after winning a presidential election, has been antagonistic to Washington over human rights criticisms.

Duterte has forged closer ties with China — a blow to the Obama administration effort to forge deeper ties with Asia. He has declared his desire to scale back military engagements with the U.S. and has told President Barack Obama to “go to hell.”  [PhilStar.com]

You can read more at the link, but good luck to Ambassador Kim.  His posting in the Philippines should be a memorable one considering he will be dealing with President Duterte quite a bit.