Washington is sending a new ambassador to the Philippines to repair an otherwise ruptured relationship engendered by caustic remarks and persistent tirades issued by President Rodrigo Duterte against the former colonial power.
On Friday Manila time, US Secretary of State John Kerry swore into office Korean-born Sung Y. Kim as the next US ambassador to the Philippines replacing Philip Goldberg who occupied the post for more than three years.
In his remarks at the swearing-in ceremony held at the Ben Franklin Room of the State Department in Washington DC, Secretary Kerry said “no one better is qualified than Sung Kim to represent the United States of America and to be our ambassador to the Philippines at this point in time.”
Kim is a career member of the Foreign Service class of Minister-Counselor who holds a diploma from the University of Pennsylvania, a law degree from Loyola Law School and a Masters of Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
He used to be America’s Special Representative for North Korea Policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State.
Prior to being appointed as US ambassador to South Korea, Kim also held the position of Special Envoy for the Six Party Talks with the rank of ambassador from 2008 to 2011, and Director of the Office of Korean Affairs in the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs from 2006 to 2008. (Roy C. Mabasa)