American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) Senior Adviser Henry Haggard / Courtesy of AMCHAM

Henry Haggard, former director of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Energy Resources, has joined the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) and will start working in January next year as a senior adviser.

AMCHAM said Thursday that Haggard will provide strategic advice and guidance on key issues affecting the two countries' business communities, while staying in Washington.

According to the chamber, he will also work closely with its leadership and member companies to identify opportunities for collaboration and growth and to address challenges in the ever-evolving global market.

"With the incoming Trump administration, Henry is perfectly suited to advance AMCHAM's mission in the United States and in Korea," AMCHAM Chairman James Kim said.

Haggard served for 25 years at the State Department and was at the National Security Council under both Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

The former diplomat fluent in Korean also worked as the political minister counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.

After retiring from the State Department as a senior foreign service officer, he has supported Korea-U.S. relations through his affiliation with WestExec Advisors, a consulting firm founded by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and with other think tanks, such as Rice University's Baker Institute in the U.S. and the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy in Brussels.

"The incredibly deep connections between our two countries — economic, diplomatic and cultural — are at an all-time high and there is potential for the relationship to expand even further in the years ahead to the benefit of both the American and Korean people," he said.

"James and the top-notch AMCHAM team have been instrumental in building these connections and I am certain they will be central to future success and prosperity."