Trump Appoints Michael DeSomber to Strengthen Korea-U.S. Relations

U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed Michael DeSomber, the former ambassador to Thailand, as the new assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific (EAP). A legal expert in the Asian economy and trade, DeSomber is often referred to as a "Korean son-in-law" due to his business ties with Korean companies and his marriage to a Korean woman. Diplomats believe his background will be beneficial for strengthening future Korea-U.S. relations.

Former Ambassador DeSomber hails from Chicago, Illinois, and holds a bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree in East Asian studies from Stanford University. His master's thesis reportedly focused on "China's nuclear weapons strategy."

After graduating with honors (Magna Cum Laude) from Harvard Law School, he worked as a lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell, a prestigious law firm. In 1997, DeSomber relocated to Hong Kong, where he managed public and private mergers and acquisitions (M&A) across Asia, including in Korea and China. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand from March 2020 until the early part of the following year, marking the end of the first Trump administration.

Former Ambassador DeSomber has a particularly strong connection to Korea. Married to a Korean woman, Gene DeSomber, who has experience in the healthcare industry related to Korea, he has two sons and two daughters. Thanks to his wife, he is also known to speak Korean well enough for everyday conversation.

With DeSomber's appointment as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, President Trump’s second round of Korea-related policy appointments is nearly complete, leaving only the position of special representative for North Korea policy vacant. Within the State Department, Alison Hooker, Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and Kevin Kim, Deputy Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, who played key roles in U.S.-North Korea negotiations during Trump's first term, are expected to work alongside DeSomber on matters related to the Korean Peninsula.

At the White House, Alex Wong, senior deputy national security adviser, William Bo Harrison, deputy chief of staff for operations, and Richard Grenell, special envoy ambassador, are expected to oversee policy toward the Korean Peninsula and North Korea. Wong played a key role in the U.S.-North Korea summit as the special deputy representative for North Korea during Trump’s first term. Deputy Chief of Staff Harrison also contributed as a working-level official in the U.S.-North Korea summit process. Special Envoy Grenell, responsible for North Korea and other countries, spent eight years working on the UN Security Council to address issues related to North Korea.