Seoul awaits Washington's consent for ambassador-designate

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- Han Duck-soo, appointed South Korea's new ambassador
to the United States, will likely assume the post as early as middle of next
month although related procedures are expected to take longer than usual due to
the transition in the U.S. administration, officials here said Friday.

Early this week, Seoul requested Washington's diplomatic consent to the
appointment of Han to replace Ambassador Lee Tae-sik, whose three-year tenure has
expired.
"Customarily, it took three to five weeks to receive agreement from the U.S. for
a new ambassador," a foreign ministry official said. "This time, however, it is
likely to take longer because of the transition of the U.S. governments."
While Amb. Lee's replacement was widely expected, President Lee Myung-bak's
choice of successor came as a surprise, given his recent career.
Han served as prime minister and finance minister under the previous liberal
governments of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun.
Many say it has demonstrated the conservative president's will to pursue
pragmatism by crossing the ideological line to pick the seasoned economic
official, as both South Korea and the U.S. struggle to get a free trade agreement
ratified by their parliaments. Outlook turned gloomy with the return of the
Democrat administration in the U.S., which has traditionally leaned towards
protectionism.
Han studied economics at Seoul National University and received his doctorate
from Harvard University in 1984.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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