Kevin Kim, now formerly the acting US ambassador to South Korea, speaks with Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, chair of the main opposition People Power Party, in a meeting at the National Assembly on Dec. 12, 2025. (Yonhap) The South Korean government has been officially notified by the US that Kevin Kim has returned to Washington after briefly serving as acting ambassador in Seoul, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
“The US Embassy in Seoul has officially notified the Korean government that Acting Ambassador Kevin Kim has returned to Washington,” The Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “For the time being, James R. Heller, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy, is expected to continue close communication with our side in his capacity as charge d’affaires ad interim.”
The ministry said there were no confirmed details to share regarding Kim’s next assignment, adding, “There are no matters to confirm or disclose concerning Kevin Kim’s future position.”
Kim’s early departure, which had been anticipated since the envoy left Korea for the Christmas holiday, nonetheless underscores continuing uncertainty over Washington’s diplomatic representation on the Korean Peninsula.
The acting ambassador assumed his duties on Oct. 27 last year, shortly before US President Donald Trump’s state visit to Seoul on the sidelines of the Oct. 31-Nov.1 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. At the time, there was speculation that Kim would remain in Korea for a considerable period or even be nominated as the next formal ambassador.
Instead, after barely more than two months he has stepped down from the charge d’affaires post, making him the second acting ambassador to leave Seoul within a year.
Philip Goldberg, the previous US ambassador to South Korea and who had been appointed by the former Joe Biden administration, completed his term and returned to Washington on Jan. 7 last year. Following Goldberg’s exit, Joseph Yun, former US special representative for North Korea policy, served as acting ambassador for nine months before Kim was appointed.
Despite leaving Korea, Kim may continue to influence key bilateral talks from Washington. Observers here believe he could take charge of practical working-level negotiations on nuclear-powered submarines and other security issues outlined in a joint South Korea-US fact sheet, released in November last year, as an outcome of the summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Trump in Washington.
During his brief tenure in Seoul, Kim was regarded as a steady coordinator between Korean and American officials, particularly on North Korea policy and regional Indo-Pacific strategy. He also led efforts to regularize consultations with the Foreign Ministry and Unification Ministry.
The Trump administration has yet to officially nominate ambassadors to major allied countries including Korea, Germany, Australia and Denmark, as well as roughly 80 other nations worldwide.
In Trump’s first term, it took 17 months before Harry Harris, then commander of the US Pacific Command, was nominated as ambassador to Seoul. Goldberg was nominated a year after the start of the Biden administration. Envoy posts to South Korea require US Senate confirmation.
Diplomatic sources say that finding a permanent ambassador for Korea may again prove challenging.
“Several potential candidates have been discussed, but it is not easy to find someone with strong expertise on North Korea and China as well as a firm understanding of Trump’s foreign policy line and Indo-Pacific alliance coordination strategy,” one diplomatic source said.
mkjung@heraldcorp.com