Seoul: Former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has been formally appointed as South Korea's ambassador to the United States, as confirmed by Seoul's foreign ministry.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kang served as South Korea's top diplomat from 2017 to 2021 under former President Moon Jae-in and now becomes the first ambassador in Washington under the Lee Jae Myung administration. Kang's extensive experience with the United Nations, particularly in human rights, includes her role as the U.N. deputy high commissioner for human rights in 2006.

Experts highlight that Kang is well-suited for her role as Seoul's top envoy, tasked with seeking close policy coordination with the United States, especially as expectations rise for the potential resumption of diplomacy between North Korea and the U.S. Kang's responsibilities will also include coordinating U.S. President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and facilitating summit talks between President Lee and President Trump.

In addition to these responsibilities, Kang faces challenges such as negotiating tariff discussions with the U.S. and addressing Washington's initiatives to "modernize" the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Born in 1955, Kang graduated from Yonsei University in Seoul and earned a doctorate in communications from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1984.