I think that Ambassador Han has decided that three years of being the ROK Ambassador to the US was enough and didn’t want to be the guy to deal with the fall out of having to explain to interested parties in the US why the Korean left is threatening to withdraw from the US-ROK FTA if they win this year’s Presidential election.  In addition who knows what other anti-US nonsense the Korean left will manufacture in the next few months as the election approaches:

Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Han Duk-soo on Thursday tendered his resignation. He is reportedly to be replaced by Sagong Il, the head of the Korea International Trade Association.

A senior official at the presidential office said Han “will take on another position.” According to government and business industry sources, Han will head take on the KITA job.

Han told the Chosun Ilbo, “I feel as like a heavy load has been taken off my shoulders. It’s been exactly three years since I was appointed ambassador to the U.S. on Feb. 16, 2009. I have no regrets, since the Korea-U.S. FTA, which was my top priority, is now about to go into effect.”

Han returned to Washington D.C. on Thursday to attend his retirement ceremony.

He apparently met with President Lee Myung-bak in Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday. A high-ranking Cheong Wa Dae official said, “Some government officials pointed out problems in Ambassador Han’s efforts to get the U.S. Senate to ratify the Korea-U.S. FTA, and Han himself expressed his intent to resign several times after American lawmakers passed the bill.”  [Chosun Ilbo]