Biden Appoints Korea Expert Wendy Sherman as No. 2 at State Department

Recognized as a Leading Expert on the Korean Peninsula and Iran in the United States

▲Wendy Sherman

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] President-elect Joe Biden nominated Wendy Sherman, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, as Deputy Secretary of State on the 16th (local time).

Nominee Sherman is regarded as an expert on the Korean Peninsula and Iran within the United States. These are countries that President-elect Biden has prioritized in diplomacy from the perspective of nuclear non-proliferation.

Following nominee Tony Blinken as Secretary of State, the top two positions in the State Department will be filled by individuals well-versed in the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea's nuclear issues. Nominee Blinken served as Deputy Secretary of State during the second term of the Barack Obama administration and was deeply involved in the 'strategic patience policy' toward North Korea.

Nominee Sherman was the State Department's Special Representative for North Korea Policy from 1999 to 2001, during the late second term of the Bill Clinton administration, playing a central role in North Korea issues.

In October 2000, she was present when Jo Myong-rok, then First Vice Chairman of North Korea's National Defense Commission, became the first North Korean official to visit the White House and meet with President Clinton.

She also accompanied then Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on her visit to Pyongyang, where she directly met with Kim Jong-il, Chairman of the National Defense Commission.

During the second term of the Barack Obama administration, she mainly focused on Iran issues and played a key role in the Iran nuclear deal.

In a seminar last August, nominee Sherman stated, "Regarding North Korea's denuclearization, it is a very difficult issue as North Korea is building nuclear deterrence capability," emphasizing alliances and cooperation by saying, "First, we will rebuild relations with South Korea and Japan."

She also raised the necessity of cooperation with China, saying, "China wants to place North Korea as a chip on its own poker table, not ours."

Regarding the stationing of U.S. troops in South Korea, she expressed a negative stance toward the Trump administration's excessive demands for defense cost-sharing, stating, "We station troops because it benefits us," and "If I were in charge, I would not argue over whether South Korea is paying enough for the U.S. troop presence."

On the same day, President-elect Biden nominated Brian McKeon, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, as Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources.

He also appointed Bonnie Jenkins, a nuclear non-proliferation expert, as Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, and Victoria Nuland, former Assistant Secretary of State, as Under Secretary for Political Affairs.

Uzra Zeya, former Acting Assistant Secretary of State, was selected as Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.