The United States Senate approved Retired Admiral Harry Harris to serve as the next ambassador to South Korea on Thursday by voice vote.

His final confirmation follows his unanimous approval by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 14, and formally begins the process of filling the over year-long vacancy for the position of U.S. ambassador to South Korea.

In his confirmation hearing before the committee earlier in the month, just days after President Donald Trump traveled to Singapore to hold talks with Kim Jong Un, Harris voiced his support for current U.S. policy on North Korea.

Trump announced