President Joe Biden has nominated current U.S. Ambassador to Colombia, Philip Goldberg, as the new ambassador to South Korea.

In a press release Friday, the White House said Goldberg is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Career Ambassador, and currently U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Colombia.

Previously, he was also ambassador to the Philippines, Bolivia and Kosovo. Goldberg also served as State Department coordinator for implementation of a UN Security Council Resolution on North Korea from 2009 to 2010 during the Obama administration. 

It's the first time that a career diplomat, not a political appointee, has been tapped as envoy to Seoul since Sung Kim in 2011.

The White House is known to have asked the South Korean government for an agrément on the appointment two weeks ago. The post has been vacant for over a year.

After undergoing Senate confirmation, Goldberg is expected to take office as early as March.