Kathleen Stephens Nomination Update

The Chosun Ilbo that the White House may not be interested in expending scarce capital on this one:

There is only a slim chance of the U.S. Senate approving the nomination of Kathleen Stephens as ambassador to Seoul, Radio Free Asia reported Tuesday.  Her nomination bill was passed by the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in April and sent to a plenary session for a vote. But according to the RFA, Republican Senator George Voinovich has delayed his approval, following another Republican senator, Sam Brownback.

Voinovich, ironically, was the senator who tearfully came out in opposition to John Bolton’s nomination a few years back.  His vote on the Foreign Relations Committee probably cost Bolton his confirmation.

These senators oppose Stephens’ nomination on the grounds that the State Department has not paid enough attention to human rights violations in North Korea while pushing for the six-party nuclear talks with the Stalinist nation. Brownback reportedly became enraged when Stephens, when he asked her about the North Korean human rights situation in a private meeting, replied she would be ambassador to South Korea, not North Korea.

A senior diplomatic source in Washington said, “If it is firmly determined to win Senate approval for its nominee, the White House mobilizes all its political assets and negotiation skills to make sure the nomination is approved. If not, it’s possible for any senator to delay the nomination hearing indefinitely.” He added, “In Stephens’ case, the White House seems to have concluded that it’s not politically worthwhile to fight with senators like Brownback.” [Chosun Ilbo]  

Instead, it’s probably planning on saving its capital for lifting North Korea’s terror-sponsor designation.  If the rumors I’ve heard are true, that shoe will drop soon.

Background on the  Stephens nomination  here.