U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, who doubles as the country's point man on North Korea, has named a South Korean-born analyst as his senior special assistant for Korean and Asian affairs, diplomatic sources here said on Tuesday.
The sources said the State Department is expected to soon announce the appointment of Balbina Hwang, a policy analyst for Northeast Asia in the Asian Studies Center of the Heritage Foundation.
Working at the conservative think tank based in Washington, Hwang is known to be well-versed in the North Korea policy of the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush.
Hwang, born in Seoul, moved to the U.S. when she was four, and studied philosophy and government at Smith College.
She earned a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University and a doctorate in government from Georgetown University.
But Hwang refused to elaborate on her new job, saying related processes including a security clearance check are sill under way.
Washington, June 27 (Yonhap News)
Ethnic Korean named special advisor to Washington's lead nuclear envoy |
