Congratulating Allison Hooker on Her Return to the State Department
Korean Peninsula Expert from the Trump Administration
According to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States, Ambassador Cho Hyundong met with Allison Hooker, the newly appointed Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and a prominent Korean Peninsula expert from the Trump administration, on June 20 (local time). The two agreed to work together to strengthen the South Korea-US alliance and trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the US, and Japan.
According to the embassy, Ambassador Cho and Under Secretary Hooker met at the State Department building in Washington, DC, and shared the view that close coordination between South Korea and the US on North Korea issues, as well as comprehensive bilateral cooperation, is of great importance. They agreed to pursue these goals together.
The embassy also reported that Ambassador Cho congratulated Under Secretary Hooker on her return to the State Department and asked her to continue contributing to the advancement of South Korea-US relations, emphasizing that she has long been a friend of South Korea and a strong supporter of the alliance.
The two also exchanged views on cooperation and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as on the overall global situation, including the recent military conflict between Iran and Israel. The embassy stated that they agreed to work closely together to respond more effectively to such global challenges.
Under Secretary Hooker, who took office earlier this month, oversees regional and bilateral policy issues at the State Department. The Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, which handles Korean affairs, is among the regional policy bureaus under her jurisdiction, meaning she is involved in both South Korea-US and North Korea-US relations.
From 2001 to 2014, Under Secretary Hooker served as a senior analyst at the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. During the first Trump administration (2017-2021), she handled Korean Peninsula affairs at the White House National Security Council (NSC). She was deeply involved in the summits and meetings between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held in Singapore, Hanoi, and Panmunjom in 2018 and 2019.
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