As 2021 draws to a close, there’s still no word on who will be the next U.S. ambassador to South Korea — rightly or wrongly giving the impression that Washington’s “ironclad” relationship with Seoul isn’t at the top of Joe Biden’s to-do list.

On Saturday, Chuck Schumer gave himself and his fellow senators a pat on the back for confirming nearly 50 ambassadors just before they went on Christmas vacation. Ted Cruz had been blocking approval for the president’s ambassadorial nominees unless he could get a vote on the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline