hankyoreh

By Ahn Chang-hyun, Staff Writer and Kwon Tae-ho, Washington Correspondent

　With little warning, South Korean ambassador to the US Han Duck-soo, 63, has expressed his intention to resign. The Cheong Wa Dae began searching Thursday for a replacement after Han expressed his plan to resign to Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kim Sung-hwan. The abrupt nature of Han’s resignation is sparking a flood of speculation.

　Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman Cho Byeong-je said Thursday that Han made his wish to resign known that morning, saying “[I have] discharged the responsibility I took on.”

　Cho said Han would be returning to the US on Friday to pay his final respects. He won‘t attend a meeting of overseas mission chiefs scheduled to take place from Feb. 20 to 24.

　Han has served as ambassador to the US for the three years since February 2009.

　A senior Cheong Wa Dae (South Korea’s presidential office, or Blue House) official said Han had often said he would leave his post once the South Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement was completed.

　“We plan to start the procedures to select his successor,” the official said.

　But many questions remain unanswered with Han‘s sudden announcement. Analysts said he did not appear to have any intention to resign as recently as his return to South Korea on Feb. 12, as he set a schedule to meet with reporters on Feb. 24 during the mission chiefs’ meeting. He also made no reference to personal matters during a regular foreign correspondents‘ briefing in Washington, DC, on Feb. 1.

　While Han did tell President Lee Myung-bak during the latter’s Washington visit in October 2011 that he intended to leave his post because the KORUS FTA was completed, the President reportedly waved off the resignation, asking Han to “stay a little longer.”

　In light of factors such as the relationship between South Korea and the US, ambassadors to the country are expected to stay in their post for at least a year and a half, so the time for Han‘s replacement has effectively elapsed.

　Some analysts in and around the Cheong Wa Dae said they suspected Han’s unexpected departure was an attempt to furnish “one last post” as the administration enters its final year. Among the names being mentioned as Han‘s possible successor are former Unification Minister Hyun In-taek, Cheong Wa Dae senior secretary for foreign affairs and national security Chun Young-woo, and former Minister for Trade Kim Jong-hoon.

　Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]