Kang Kyung-wha, the former ROK foreign minister who helped steer diplomacy with North Korea from 2018-19, took up her post as Seoul’s new ambassador to Washington on Monday, amid renewed speculation about the potential revival of U.S.-DPRK talks.

In her inaugural address at the South Korean Embassy, Kang said “the foundation of our pragmatic diplomacy lies in the ROK-U.S. alliance,” pledging to strengthen cooperation across security, economic and advanced technology sectors.

Kang described the Lee Jae-myung administration as a “people-centered government” that “prioritizes democracy, common sense and pragmatism,” stating that those principles guide Seoul’s diplomacy. 

She emphasized that South Korea