The U.S. embassy in Seoul announced on Monday that Kevin Kim, the U.S. State Department's deputy assistant secretary for Japan, Korea, Mongolia and Taiwan, has been appointed chargé d’affaires ad interim to South Korea.

In a post on its X account, the embassy said Kim will work closely with embassy staff and the South Korean government to “promote the mutual interests and shared values of the two countries and to strengthen the ironclad commitment to the U.S.-Korea alliance.”

Kim, a Korean American career diplomat, previously served as a professional staff member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and national security adviser to Republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee.

The State Department said it welcomes Kim’s appointment as it encourages South Korean investment into the United States and works to strengthen joint security.

The embassy also expressed appreciation to Joseph Yun, the outgoing chargé d’Affaires, who departed on Friday, thanking him for his leadership and service in advancing U.S. interests.