"'Hardliners' U.S. Ambassador to South Korea to Assume Post Soon... Biden Reaffirms 'Extended Deterrence'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The confirmation of Philip Goldberg, the nominee for U.S. Ambassador to South Korea known as a 'hardliner on North Korea,' passed the U.S. Congress on the 5th (local time), filling the vacancy of the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea after 16 months. U.S. President Joe Biden, who will soon visit South Korea for the Korea-U.S. summit, plans to reaffirm the 'strengthening of extended deterrence' to South Korea.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a briefing that day, "President Biden will visit South Korea and Japan to hold talks with newly inaugurated President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida," adding, "The leaders will discuss deepening the security alliance, strengthening economic relations, and joint challenges including COVID-19 response."

She continued, "Regarding North Korea's continued destabilizing actions in the region, including multiple intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches, President Biden will clearly reaffirm our commitment to the security of South Korea and Japan," emphasizing, "He will reaffirm the security commitment, including that the extended deterrence promise is as strong as steel." Extended deterrence refers to the deterrence provided, including the nuclear umbrella, when a U.S. ally is attacked by a third party with nuclear weapons, also known as the 'nuclear umbrella.'

Amid North Korea's daily military provocations, including the launch of an ICBM on the 4th after mentioning the possibility of a 'nuclear preemptive strike,' attention is focused on whether related matters such as the deployment of strategic assets will be discussed at the Korea-U.S. summit scheduled for the 21st.

As the new government is about to launch, the confirmation of the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea has also been finalized. The U.S. Senate unanimously approved Ambassador Goldberg's confirmation in a plenary session that day. Once officially appointed, he will immediately assume his post in South Korea. His predecessor, former Ambassador Harry Harris, resigned in January last year.

Nominee Goldberg served as the State Department's Coordinator for Implementation of U.N. North Korea Sanctions under the Barack Obama administration, overseeing the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874 on North Korea sanctions and coordinating related international cooperation. During the confirmation hearing, he referred to North Korea as a 'rogue regime' and was classified as a hardliner on North Korea by presenting the goal of complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of North Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.