Mark Lippert chosen to serve as next US ambassador to South Korea

U.S. President Barack Obama has chosen Mark Lippert, chief of staff of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, to serve as next U.S. ambassador to South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported Friday, quoting multiple diplomatic sources in Washington.

Lippert, if confirmed, will replace Sung Kim who assumed the post about three years ago. The 41-year-old would become the youngest U.S. diplomatic mission chief to South Korea.

After President Obama's first inauguration in January 2009, Lippert worked as chief of staff for the White House National Security Council (NSC) and assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs.

The South Korean government granted agrement to Lippert, Obama’s choice for Washington’s new ambassador to Seoul, when Obama made a two-day official visit to South Korea last week, an informed source in Washington was quoted as saying.

Victor Cha, former director for Asian affairs at the NSC, wrote in the Foreign Policy megazine that Lippert is “one of the most knowledgeable policy people on Asia in this administration and he is well-networked within the White House."

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com

​Mark Lippert chosen to serve as next US ambassador to South Korea

Mark Lippert chosen to serve as next US ambassador to South Korea