Speculation Abounds on 'Four Power Ambassadors' to US, China, Russia, Japan.. President Lee to Appoint Soon

[Financial News] President Lee Jaemyung is expected to appoint ambassadors to the four major countries, the United States, Japan, China, and Russia, soon, amid ongoing speculation. Compared to the Yoon Sukyeol administration, which announced the appointment of ambassadors to the four major countries about a month after its inauguration, the first ambassadorial selection of this government is somewhat delayed amid global trade pressure.
On the 27th, the political community expects that the review of ambassadorial appointments will accelerate as Foreign Minister Cho Hyun officially took office on the 21st. Minister Cho will visit the United States within a few days to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to enter into Korea-US trade negotiations. However, the position of the US ambassador remains vacant.
Currently, names like Lim Sungnam, former First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Cho Byungjae, former President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, are being mentioned as potential US ambassadors. Former Vice Minister Lim is a career diplomat who has held key positions such as Director-General for North American Affairs and Chief Negotiator for Korean Peninsula Peace, while former President Cho is also classified as a 'US expert' having served as Deputy Consul General in San Francisco and Director-General for North America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For the Chinese ambassador, the possibility of appointing Lee Kwangjae, former Governor of Gangwon Province, is being considered. Former Governor Lee has been a visiting professor at Tsinghua University in China since 2011, interacting with high-level Chinese officials, and served as Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee in 2021.
For the Japanese ambassador, names such as Lee Hyuk, former Ambassador to Vietnam and representative of the Korea-Japan Future Forum, are reportedly being discussed. The Russian ambassador is reportedly facing difficulties due to external variables such as the Ukraine war. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued orders for the departure of ambassadors appointed during the Yoon Sukyeol administration. If the appointment of new ambassadors is delayed, some may have to operate under an acting ambassador system. 
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyungsoo Reporter