According to diplomatic sources on Wednesday, Kim recently notified the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of his departure. He is believed to have left for the U.S. to spend Christmas and has not returned to Seoul, as he may be assigned a new role there.
The Korean American, who handled North Korea-related affairs at the U.S. State Department from 2018 to 2020, Kim arrived in October last year, after being appointed to the interim post. He coordinated a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju.
Kim's sudden departure raises concerns here, as the ambassador post has been vacant for almost a year. Former Ambassador Philip Goldberg left the position in January last year, and since then, two acting ambassadors, Kim and Joseph Yun, another Korean-American who previously served as U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, have temporarily filled the role.
In a statement on its website, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul said, "James 'Jim' Heller is currently serving as the Chargé d'Affaires ad interim," adding that he "began his assignment in Seoul as the Deputy Chief of Mission" in July last year.
The career diplomat, who "most recently served" in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, is a U.S. Army veteran. He holds a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Michigan and is a graduate of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center.
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