Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated a former White House official who was involved in diplomacy with North Korea during his first term, as under secretary of state for political affairs, according to Congress. On Tuesday, the president notified Congress of the decision to nominate Allison Hooker, who previously served as senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, a key post for U.S. policy toward the Indo-Pacific, according to Congress' website.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Hooker's nomination follows Trump's expressed willingness to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his continued commitment to the "complete denuclearization of North Korea." During Trump's first administration, Hooker played a significant role in preparing for Trump's summits with Kim in Singapore in June 2018, Hanoi in February 2019, and the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019.
From 2001 to 2014, Hooker served as a senior analyst for North Korea in the Department of State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research. She was also selected as the 2013-2014 Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs fellow in South Korea. Prior to her nomination, she had been considered a potential candidate for U.S. ambassador to South Korea.
In addition to Hooker, Trump has nominated Thomas DiNanno, former deputy assistant secretary of state, as under secretary of state for arms control and international security. This position addresses issues related to America's extended deterrence to South Korea. DiNanno is currently an adjunct fellow at the Washington-based Hudson Institute, where it is noted that he previously led the United States' extended deterrence engagement with South Korea, Japan, and Australia, as well as the U.S.-China Space Security Dialogue in Beijing in 2019.
Extended deterrence involves the U.S.' commitment to utilize the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear arms, to defend its allies.