국무장관 마이크 폼페오와 김정은 노동위원장이 평양에서 만났다

1. 마이크 폼페오가 김정은 노동당위원장을 만난 사진 2장이 공개되었다.

미 상원에서 찬성 57표, 반대 42표로 미 국무장관으로 임명된 마이크 폼페오는 지난 부활절에 북한 평양을 방문해 김정은과 회담을 가졌다. 

마이크 폼페오는 인사청문회에서 과거 자신이 발언했던 "북한 정권 교체 regime change"에 대한 태도를 누그러뜨린 바 있다.

2. 도널드 트럼프가 김정은과 마이크 폼페오가 찍은 사진을 보고, "야 놀랍다 , 정말 좋다 incredible" 고 했다.

3. 마이크 폼페오 신임 미 국무장관 임명에 대한 민주당 평가

전임 렉스 틸러슨보다 더욱더 우파적인 정치 노선으로 갈 것이다. 

마이크 폼페오의 동성애 결혼 반대 및 무슬림에 대한 비관용적 태도를 민주당은 비판적으로 보고 있다.

4. 현재 미 국부무는 약체이다. 

왜냐하면 렉스 틸러슨 임기 1년 동안, 렉스 틸러슨은 미 국무부 직원 숫자와 예산을 감축해버렸다.

렉스 틸러슨은 대중 앞에 잘 나타나지 않는 등, 약간 은둔적인 일처리 방식을 보여줬다.

해외 외교 공관 직원들을 충원하지 않고 방치해버렸다.

이런 이유들로 인해 미 국무부 자체가 노동동기, 일할 맛이 나지 않고 사기가 떨어져있다.

White House releases pictures of Mike Pompeo shaking hands with Kim Jong-un

Pompeo confirmed to replace Rex Tillerson as US secretary of state after receiving backing from 57 senators – but 42 voted no

Thu 26 Apr 2018 22.08 BST First published on Thu 26 Apr 2018 18.14 BST

The White House on Thursday released two photographs of Mike Pompeo, the new US secretary of state, shaking hands with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. The photos came hours after the US Senate confirmed Pompeo as Donald Trump’s top diplomat.

The photographs were taken during the visit of Pompeo, then the CIA director, to Pyongyang over Easter. In one image, Pompeo and Kim face each other looking serious; in the other, they both appear to wear faint smiles.

Earlier on Thursday the Senate narrowly confirmed Pompeo’s candidacy, clearing the path for him to take over from Rex Tillerson as Trump faces high-risk moments on Iran and North Korea.

Pompeo secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no – one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes in the Senate, with the exception of Tillerson, Trump’s first secretary of state, who got 56.

Pompeo is expected to be sworn into office immediately and then depart for Europe on his first official trip.

Trump earlier described the pictures of Pompeo and Kim’s encounter as “incredible”.

Pompeo, a former Kansas congressman, is expected to guide Trump’s foreign policy in a more right-leaning direction than Tillerson, the former ExxonMobil CEO fired by Trump on Twitter last month. He inherits a state department and diplomatic corps that is deeply demoralized after a tumultuous first year under Tillerson, who pushed budget and staff cuts and eschewed public appearances while leaving key diplomatic positions unfilled.

The Senate vote followed an uneasy confirmation process for Pompeo that underscored Trump’s growing difficulties in getting nominees in place for top positions. On Monday, it appeared Pompeo would fail a vote in the Senate foreign relations committee, but the panel ultimately cleared him after last-minute support from Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky.

A long list of pressing issues awaits him including a decision on the Iran nuclear deal and Trump’s upcoming summit with Kim.

Previously confirmed by the Senate for the CIA job, Pompeo was supported by all the Republican senators and by six Democrats. The Democrats included several up for re-election in conservative-leaning states, including Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. John McCain of Arizona, who is being treated for cancer, was absent.

In the run-up to Pompeo’s confirmation, his backers emphasized his credentials as a West Point and Harvard law school graduate and former congressman who enjoys a close relationship with Trump particularly on North Korea. Pompeo traveled to Pyongyang over Easter after being nominated for his new role. In the North Korean capital he met Kim before the planned meeting with Trump, expected in late May or June.

“He’s the perfect person to come in at this time and lead those efforts” on North Korea, Tennessee Republican Bob Corker said on the Senate floor moments before Pompeo was confirmed.

Yet his opponents had warned that his hawkish foreign policy views and negative comments about gay marriage and Muslims made him ill-equipped to serve as a diplomat or to represent the United States on the world stage. Pompeo used his confirmation hearing to try to soften that image, edging away from past comments about regime change in Pyongyang.