Posted: 2:55 am ET
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Another senior FSO, a member of the shrinking minister-counselor ranks of the Foreign Service is heading for the exit. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Yun is stepping down later this week, a decision that he told reporters, “is really my decision.” NBC News says that Yun has “decided to retire for personal reasons,” according to a State Department spokesperson.
Ambassador Yun who was previously U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia (2013-2016) was appointed Special Representative for North Korea Policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Korea and Japan in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (State/EAO) in October 2016.
U.S. State Department’s point man on North Korea to step down this week https://t.co/OjVtHN53m0 pic.twitter.com/LZ36QTnNmv
— The Japan Times (@japantimes) February 27, 2018
News that Joseph Yun retiring now confirmed by @statedeptspox https://t.co/q37YohNJtc
— Oliver Hotham (@OliverHotham) February 27, 2018
Confirmed – US special envoy to NK, Ambassador Joe Yun, is retiring. He tells me: "It is really my decision. The time, I thought, was right. There is a bit of a lull in activity and it thought it would be a good to get out."
— Kylie Atwood (@kylieatwood) February 27, 2018
JUST IN: Ambassador Joe Yun, a member of the Senior Foreign Service, who most recently served as Special Representative for North Korean Policy, has "decided to retire for personal reasons," according to a State Department spokesperson.
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) February 27, 2018
The State Department's point man on North Korea, Joe Yun, to retire Friday. He is a strong advocate of engagement with North Korea, brought Otto Warmbier home last year https://t.co/TCYWvmbDGb pic.twitter.com/aHY8s2aOzx
— Anna Fifield (@annafifield) February 27, 2018
A terrible loss for US North Korea policy at an important time: Joe Yun is retiring, says "completely" his decision to do so https://t.co/IalHicksNZ
— Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) February 27, 2018
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