New US ambassador will get along with President Rody

The new US ambassador to the Philippines Sung Y. Kim, whose nomination was recently confirmed by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, is expected to arrive in Manila in two weeks.

The ambassador-designate is of Korean descent who moved to the US when he was 13 following the decision of his father – who served as a diplomat to Japan – to bring the family to California in 1973. The Seoul-born Kim, who was in middle school when the family left South Korea, obtained his US citizenship in 1980. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, obtained his law degree from Loyola University Law School in Los Angeles and finished his Master of Laws from the London School of Economics.

Kim is a seasoned diplomat who has served in various capacities, with previous postings to Malaysia and Hong Kong. Prior to his nomination to the Philippines, he served as ambassador to South Korea and was the US special envoy to the six-party talks on the nuclear issue with North Korea in 2008.

Married to South Korean Jeong Jae-eun with whom he has two teenaged daughters, the incoming US ambassador – who has made a record of sorts for being the first ethnic Korean to serve as American ambassador to South Korea – takes pride in his Korean heritage. During the Senate confirmation hearing in 2011 attended by his wife, kids, an elder brother, plus a nephew and niece, he disclosed his parents “could not have imagined” he would become the first Korean-American ambassador to their native land.

Not surprisingly, he was particularly close to his father, taking a year off from his State Department duties to take care of his ailing parent who died in 1993. It was his parents who encouraged him to go into public service, their pride apparent when he joined the US Foreign Service and were especially thrilled when he chose to focus on East Asia, with particular emphasis on Korea, Kim said.

Just like Ambassador Philip Goldberg (who left for the United States last Oct. 28 and may play a significant role in Washington), Ambassador Kim is thought highly of by former State Secretary Hillary Clinton who strongly recommended him as ambassador to South Korea, impressed by his expertise on Korean Peninsula issues.

According to sources, Kim, who has visited Pyongyang several times, insisted on using English only during talks with North Korea so as to avoid any mistakes in terminology or judgment. For the Korean-American diplomat, there is no such thing as a “drive-through diplomacy,” believing negotiations can be “protracted, even painful processes.”

His stint as special envoy for the six-party talks and his work as special representative for North Korea policy have also given him the opportunity to work expansively with China, which no doubt will be a significant factor in his new posting.

Ambassador Kim is the first US ambassador to the Philippines with an Asian heritage, and many hope his background would help in his personal interactions with President Rodrigo Duterte much easier. Like the president, Kim also served as a prosecutor, which could become a common ground for personal connection. No doubt his familiarity with the oriental or Asian culture will help, plus the fact his dealings with North Korea and its bellicose leader (who is also fond of issuing strong anti-US rhetoric) has made him adept at handling sensitive issues with quiet efficiency.

The United States, of course, is very much concerned about the current state of affairs involving the Philippines, and is hoping the relationship will remain stable. Perhaps the incoming US administration will bring about a different level of relations between our two nations.

During his Senate confirmation hearing, Ambassador Kim said he would “work closely with Manila” and the new administration of President Duterte to ensure security cooperation between the Philippines and the US remains strong and effective, reiterating the commitment of the US to defend its long-time ally is “ironclad and unwavering.” He also vowed to support Philippine efforts to “peacefully reduce tensions in the South China Sea and help the Philippine Armed Forces better monitor the seas off their shores.”

‘The voice of God, the voice of the people’

The recent disclosure of President Duterte upon arrival from his official visit to Japan that a voice had told him “to stop saying cuss words or else the voice will bring down the plane” – has reverberated all over the world.

Very likely, this is probably recognition on the part of President Rody that while majority of Filipinos support him, they would also like him to tone down the colorful language and strong rhetoric a few notches lower.

“So I promised God not to express slang, cuss words, and everything. So you guys hear me right always because a promise to God is a promise to the Filipino people,” the President declared.

True indeed for after all, “the voice of God is the voice of the people.”

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