United States Ambassador to Korea

The current United States Ambassador to Korea is Kathleen Stephens. The first American diplomatic mission to the Korean kingdom began in the mid 1880's. From then until 1905 there were several Envoys and Consuls General, each heading what was called a legation. After the Japanese had defeated the Chinese in 1895, and the Russians in 1905, Korea began to see its independence disappear. By 1910 Japan had annexed Korea and the U.S. no longer had a diplomatic presence in Korea.

At the end of World War II American forces accepted Japanese surrender in southern Korea, and Soviet forces accepted the surrender of the Japanese in northern Korea. Talks to agree upon a unity government for Korea failed and in 1948 two separate Korean states were created: the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The United States established diplomatic relations with the new South Korean government, but did not recognize North Korea. The Soviet Union recognized the Pyongyang regime in North Korea, and did not establish relations with the South Korea government in Seoul. The United States has maintained constant diplomatic relations with South Korea since 1948, and as of 2007 still has no diplomatic presence in North Korea.

The Embassy of the United States in Seoul has no constituent posts, although there used to be a U.S. Consualte in Pusan, which closed in 1999.

Chiefs of Mission to Korea

To the Kingdom of Korea

# Lucius H. Foote, Envoy (1883 - 1885)
# George Clayton Foulk, Minister Resident/Consul General (1885 - 1886)*
# William Harwar Parker, Minister Resident/Consul General (1886)
# George Clayton Foulk, Minister Resident/Consul General (1886 - 1887)*
# Hugh A. Dinsmore, Minister Resident/Consul General (1887 - 1890)
# Augustine Heard, Minister Resident/Consul General (1890 - 1893)
# John M.B. Sill, Minister Resident/Consul General (1894 - 1897)
# Horace Newton Allen Minister Resident/Consul General/Envoy (1897 - 1905)
# Edwin V. Morgan, Envoy (1905 - Presented Credentials on June 26, 1905, closed the Legation, November 28, 1905, and left Korea, December 8, 1905 after Japan assumed responsibility for Korean foreign relations)

* George Clayton Foulk served two tours due to the relief of William Harwar Parker as a result of the later's alcoholism.

To the Republic of Korea

# John J. Muccio, Ambassador (1949 - 1952)
# Ellis O. Briggs, Ambassador (1952 - 1955)
# William S.B. Lacy, Ambassador (1955 - 1955)
# Walter C. Dowling, Ambassador (1956 - 1959)
# Walter P. McConaughy, Ambassador (1959 - 1961)
# Samuel D. Berger, Ambassador (1961 - 1964)
# Winthrop G. Brown, Ambassador (1964 - 1967)
# William J. Porter, Ambassador (1967 - 1971)
# Philip C. Habib, Ambassador (1971 - 1974)
# Richard L. Sneider, Ambassador (1974 - 1978)
# William H. Gleysteen, Jr., Ambassador (1978 - 1981)
# Richard L. Walker, Ambassador (1981 - 1986)
# James R. Lilley, Ambassador (1986 - 1989)
# Donald Gregg, Ambassador (1989 - 1993)
# James T. Laney, Ambassador (1993-1996)
# Steven W. Bosworth, Ambassador (1997 - 2001)
# Thomas C. Hubbard, Ambassador (2001 - 2004)
# Christopher R. Hill, Ambassador (2004 - 2005)
# Alexander R. Vershbow, Ambassador (2005 - 2008)
# Kathleen Stephens, Ambassador (2008 - present)

External links

* [http://seoul.usembassy.gov US Embassy in Seoul website]