CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who might soon become the secretary of state, would like to renominate a Navy admiral to serve as U.S. Ambassador to South Korea rather than an equal post in Australia.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Pompeo wants to see Adm. Harry Harris, who currently leads U.S. Pacific Command, be installed in South Korea as soon as possible because of the pending summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Harris was already nominated to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Australia, a process that was placed on hold Monday night.
Trump still has to approve of the new nomination, but the White House asked the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week to postpone Harris' confirmation hearing that was originally slated for Tuesday morning, the Post reported.
The U.S. has not had a permanent ambassador to South Korea since Mark Lippert departed at the end of the Obama administration. Trump nominated Victor Cha to serve in the role, but the nomination was withdrawn in January because he disagreed with the White House on its North Korea stance.
In the meantime, Charge d'Affaires Mark Knapper has served as the acting ambassador.
Trump and Kim are expected to meet face to face at some point in the near future, which is creating a sense of urgency to install a permanent ambassador in Seoul.
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