A diplomat who played a key role in negotiations for Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement will likely take the post of an executive director at Samsung Electronics.

Kim Won-kyoung, a councilor of the Korean Embassy in the United States, tendered his resignation last weekend, according to diplomatic sources.

The 45-year-old figure has reportedly been scouted by Samsung Electronics to hold the post of an executive director at the chipmaker’s U.S. sales corporation.

Kim worked as the general director of the nation’s preparation committee for the Korea-U.S. trade pact in 2004. He also has been in charge of commerce issues including FTA renegotiations at the embassy since 2009.

This was the third time that Samsung Electronics has hired figures from the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry.

The company’s scouting of former trade minister drew wide interest in the market.

In 2009, Samsung Electronics had named Kim Hyun-chong, former trade minister and former ambassador to the United Nations, to head the company’s legal office. He had been responsible for legal strategies on intellectual property, patent and anti-dumping issues in the company.

But Kim, who had played as the chief negotiator for Korea-U.S. FTA, quit the Samsung post at the end of 2011.

By Kim Yon-se
(kys@heraldcorp.com)