A U.S. Senate Committee has given the greenlight to U.S. President Donald Trump's pick for the U.S. ambassador to South Korea.... Harry Harris who now awaits a full Senate vote scheduled for July.
Kim Hyo-sun reports.
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved President Trump's pick for ambassador to South Korea.
Harry Harris, the former chief of the U.S. Pacific Command now awaits a full Senate vote expected for early July.
Shortly after, he should fill the post that has remained vacant since the Trump administration took office 18 months ago.
Harris,... who is considered a hawk on foreign policy issues,... had earlier supported the idea of pausing joint military drills between Washington and Seoul, at his confirmation hearing earlier this month.

"I think the whole landscape has shifted. And I believe that we should give exercises, major exercises, a pause to see if Kim Jong-un in fact is serious about his part of the negotiations."

Stressing the importance of continuing negotiations with North Korea,.. Harris also highlighted the need to create breathing space.

"I think that we do need to create some breathing space for the negotiations to continue and assess whether Kim Jong-un is serious on his part of the deal or not, and I think this gives us that opportunity."

If confirmed by the Senate, Harris will serve as Washington's top enjoy to Seoul at a time when the allies are coordinating closely on a range of issues,... mainly the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.