With the position of the US ambassador to South Korea still vacant amid ongoing inter-Korean exchanges, analysts speculate that an official with a military background may surface as a viable candidate.
"There are talks in the diplomatic sphere that someone with a military background may fill the position," Shin Beom-chul, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, told the Korea Herald. The ambassador post - which has been vacant for over a year - is currently held in the interim by charge d’affaires Marc Knapper.
Shin said the diplomatic circle here is talking about a number of candidates, including now-retired US and UN Korea Forces Commander Gen. Walter Sharp. There is a high possibility that a hard-liner with a hawkish stance may set foot in Seoul to stand on the same page with the Trump administration, according to Shin.
Sharp, who is the head of the Korea Defense Veterans Association, served as commander of the USFK from 2008 to 2011. He is a known hard-liner when dealing with North Korea’s nuclear and humanitarian issues and has been vocal about such subjects for years.
Hi! I am a robot. I just upvoted you! I found similar content that readers might be interested in:
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20180305000750&kr=1