New U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert on Thursday pledged to make every effort to "deepen and broaden" Seoul-Washington relations, expressing hopes that the ties will be even stronger by the end of his stint.
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New U.S. ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert waves hand as he arrives at Incheon International Airport, on Thursday afternoon.Yonhap |
Lippert, 41, arrived in Seoul on Thursday to replace Sung Kim as the top U.S. envoy to South Korea. He was appointed to the post in May and was confirmed by the Senate last month.
"It is the opportunity of a lifetime (for me to work as the U.S. envoy to Seoul)...It is a privilege to be able to work closely with the government and people of (South) Korea to advance our relations in all aspects of this important partnership," Lippert told a press conference.
"I'm excited and committed to work together with everyone to deepen and broaden the U.S.-ROK relationship," he said, referring to the full name of South Korea, the Republic of Korea.
Lippert, the youngest U.S. ambassador to Seoul, has close personal ties with U.S. President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Obama made a surprise visit at the scene of his swearing-in ceremony at the State Department last week.
Lippert is also known for his expertise on issues involving the Korean Peninsula and other regional security matters. He worked as assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs from 2011 to 2012 and also served as Hagel's chief of staff at the Pentagon.
He said that the bilateral ties go "beyond just security, economic policy or political interests."
"Simply put, our destinies have been intertwined, are intertwined and will continue to be intertwined in the 21st century," he added.
"I hope the ties between our nations will be even stronger and our citizens will be even more secure and prosperous."
He has taken up the post at a time when the six-party talks regarding denuclearizing North Korea have been drawn out amid concerns about the North's advancement of its nuclear capabilities.
Lippert said that Washington took the threats from the North "very seriously."
"I'll work to ensure that we will remain fully aligned in our efforts to achieve the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea and prevent proliferation of key technologies."
When it comes to the frayed ties between Seoul and Tokyo, the U.S. envoy said that it is in the interest of the U.S. for the two countries to have good relations, without elaborating.
Lippert came to Seoul with his pregnant wife, Robyn, and their dog named Grigsby.
Lippert noted that he and his wife have "strong affection" for Korea's tradition and culture, in particular, Korean food.
"We are looking forward to making new friends as we would explore this great country often with our dog Grigsby." (Yonhap)
