Australian Ambassador to Korea Sam Gerovich returned to Canberra at the end of last week, completing a four-year posting here which started on March 24, 2009.

Gerovich will be replaced by Bill Paterson who is expected to arrive in Korea in May, the embassy said.

Deputy Head of Mission Brendan Berne will head up the diplomatic mission as charge d’affairs until incoming Ambassador Paterson assumes his posting here, the embassy said. 

Gerovich’s four years as his country’s top diplomatic representative here saw a number of milestones including a state visit to Australia by then-President Lee Myung-bak in 2009, the Australia-Korea Year of Friendship in 2011, and the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit in 2012.

He leaves free trade agreement negotiations unfinished and Australian engagement with North Korea that includes the expected reopening of Pyongyang’s embassy in Canberra this year. Australia provides about $6 million in humanitarian assistance to North Korea, according to some estimates.

Paterson leaves his position as ambassador for counterterrorism at the Australian Foreign Ministry’s antiterrorism task force to become his country’s top diplomatic representative in Korea.

He also served as his country’s ambassador to Thailand from 2004-2008, head of the Australian Foreign Ministry’s Iraq Task Force, the International Security Division and the Southeast Asian Division.

Although Australia sent some 17,000 service men and women to support the South in the Korean War, diplomatic relations between Korea and Australia were not established until October 1961.

(ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)