Seoul, Oct 19 (NationPress) The United States is poised to appoint a new acting Ambassador to South Korea in anticipation of President Donald Trump's forthcoming visit to the nation later this month, according to diplomatic insiders.

As reported by Yonhap News Agency, Acting US Ambassador Joseph Yun is likely to vacate his position around next Sunday, just nine months after he took on the role earlier this year.

Potentially succeeding Yun is US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kevin Kim.

Trump's visit to South Korea is scheduled for October 29-30, coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in the country, as stated by South Korea's National Security Adviser.

Yun has held the acting Ambassador position since January, under the Joe Biden administration, shortly before Trump assumed office.

On Friday, senior military leaders from South Korea and the United States conducted phone discussions aimed at enhancing their alliance, as reported by the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

JCS Chairman General Jin Yong-sung and his US counterpart, General Dan Caine, acknowledged that the security situation on the Korean Peninsula remains stable, thanks to their strong alliance, and agreed on the necessity of deterring North Korean threats through their combined defense strategy, according to the JCS.

The military chiefs reached consensus to explore additional alliance matters and ways to bolster cooperation during their upcoming Military Committee Meeting in Seoul next month.

This phone call marks the first communication of its kind since Jin took office as JCS chairman in late September.

On Thursday, a senior policy advisor to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung indicated that Seoul and Washington are engaged in trade discussions in the most sincere and constructive atmosphere observed to date, as they negotiate details of Korea's $350 billion investment commitment from a trade deal established in July.

Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of staff for policy, expressed these sentiments upon arriving at an airport near Washington, amid rising speculation that South Korea and the United States are nearing an agreement to finalize the specifics of the trade deal.

Kim, along with Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, is in the US as Seoul intensifies efforts to accelerate negotiations by dispatching high-ranking officials, including Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, to Washington this week.

"Reflecting on the progress of the negotiations thus far, we find ourselves at a critical point where both nations are engaged in discussions under the most sincere and constructive atmosphere possible," Kim stated to reporters upon arrival at Dulles International Airport.

"We will strive to ensure that the negotiations conclude favorably, aligning with Korea's national interests," he added.