POSCO hires ex-US envoy on N.Korea Stephen Biegun as adviser

South Korean steel giant POSCO has hired Stephen Biegun, former US deputy secretary of state, as its adviser for its American business.

POSCO America Co., a subsidiary of the steel company, said on Tuesday it has signed a one-year contract with the consultancy Biegun belongs to as part of its efforts to expand its presence in the US market.

The one-year term can be extended if necessary, according to POSCO officials.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, he served as the US deputy secretary of state from December 2019 to January 2021 and the US special representative for North Korea from August 2018 to January 2021.

Before being tapped as a diplomat under the Trump administration, he served as the vice president of international government affairs for Ford Motor Co. for 10 years.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian and political science from the University of Michigan in 1984.

Biegun is said to have had eight meetings with senior North Korean officials and accompanied former US President Donald Trump in 2019 to meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi and also at the Demilitarized Zone.

Earlier this month, POSCO invited him to give a speech on the Biden administration’s foreign policy and new international order at the steelmaker’s forum in Seoul.

“He has deep knowledge about the auto and other industries. We hope to gain an understanding of the US policy trend through his extensive network with US government officials,” said a POSCO official.

Write to Kyung-Min Kang at Kkm1026@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.