Fortified by expertise, experience and the trust of top U.S. leadership, Ambassador Mark Lippert is tasked with helping achieve the strategic refocus toward Asia in the face of daunting foreign policy challenges and volatile security dynamics.

The former chief of staff to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel touched down in Seoul last Thursday for a three-year term, succeeding Sung Kim, who is widely expected to soon become new deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Affairs. He was nominated by President Barack Obama in May.

At 41, Lippert is the youngest U.S. ambassador to Seoul and the first political appointee in more than 20 years. 

He is known as a longtime friend and foreign policy advisor to Obama, with their ties dating back to the president’s days as a U.S. Senator for Illinois in 2005. He then served as chief of staff for the White House National Security Council in 2009 and as assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs from 2012-13.

In a display of his affection and support, Obama made a surprise appearance at Lippert’s swearing-in ceremony in Washington last week, humorously telling South Korean Ambassador Ahn Ho-young to give him “a lot of bulgogi (grilled marinated beef).”

For all the controversies surrounding his young age and one-day delayed arrival, the envoy could be a “direct line” to both the White House and the Pentagon, some officials and analysts say.

“Though he may not seem as high-flying a figure as other noncareer diplomat ambassadors in the region, his political skills and influence could outdo them,” one Seoul official said, referring to Max Baucus and Caroline Kennedy, U.S. ambassadors to China and Japan, respectively.

Another official concurred that for Lippert, his new job may be one of the best ambassadorial posts he could assume at this point, in which he can sidestep internal opposition from senior career diplomats, yet wield robust influence as chief envoy to a top regional ally that is home to 28,700 U.S. troops and observe firsthand the rise of China and unabated North Korean military threats.

However, Lippert’s arrival comes at a tense time. North Korea continues to enhance its nuclear capability, while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s revisionist views are exacerbating historical feuds with Seoul and Beijing, escalating territorial tension in the East China Sea.

On the bright side, many of the major bilateral issues were already settled this year, including the cost-sharing for the upkeep of American troops here and the transfer of wartime operational control.

But, Washington’s potential deployment of an advanced missile defense system on the peninsula, coupled with a forthcoming amendment of a nuclear energy pact, could spell trouble.

For the new ambassador, perhaps the biggest brainteaser will be testy relations between the top two U.S. regional allies.

Tokyo’s pursuit of a bigger military role and an eventual “normal state” is deemed a much-needed catalyst for Washington’s “rebalancing” strategy, which has been tumbling amid economic woes, budget restraints and a tumultuous Middle East. But the Abe administration’s unrepentant attitude toward historical atrocities has prompted President Park Geun-hye to shy away from a summit with the hawkish prime minister, posing a dilemma for the U.S., which is seeking greater trilateral security cooperation to counter North Korean threats and keep a rising China in check.

Prior to Lippert’s confirmation, observers were worried that he would press South Korea to mend relations and step up defense partnerships with Japan. And such a push could backfire, much like the botched signing of a bilateral intelligence sharing accord in July 2012.

The concerns appear to have chiefly stemmed from his career at the Pentagon and the military and background as Obama’s core strategist for East Asia affairs. This stands in contrast with his predecessor Sung Kim, who boasted a wide network, deft command of the local language and deep understanding of domestic sentiment regarding sensitive issues like North Korea and relations with Japan, as not only a Korean-American but also a specialist who had previously headed the Office of Korean Affairs at the State Department and was special envoy for the six-party talks.

Now in Seoul, what Lippert may need the most is a more humanist and cultural viewpoint of the region, plus a human touch. While delivering his first remarks at the airport, he appeared to be well aware of this.

“The partnership between our two nations is one of most sacred and special relationships that exist in the world,” the envoy told reporters ― in vigorous Korean.

“It is built on the foundation of shared sacrifices, common values, rich history and deep respect for our respective cultures.”

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)