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Ambassador of the United States to South Korea
US Department of State official seal.svg
Seal of the United States Department of State
Philip S. Goldberg official photo (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Philip Goldberg

since July 12, 2022
Reports to U.S. Secretary of State
Residence Habib House
Seat Seoul, South Korea
Nominator The President of the United States
Appointer The President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holder Lucius H. Foote (as Envoy)
Formation May 20, 1883
Website U.S. Embassy - Korea

The United States ambassador to South Korea (Hangul: 주한미국대사; Hanja: 駐韓美國大使) is the chief diplomatic representative of the United States accredited to the Republic of Korea. The ambassador's official title is "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Korea."

Korea

After the United States–Korea Treaty of 1882 was negotiated, diplomatic representatives were sent from Washington to Seoul. 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.

Envoy, resident minister, and consul-general

Name Portrait Appointment Presentation Termination Appointer Notes
Lucius H. Foote Lucius Harwood Foote (IA literarycaliforn00migh page 209).jpg February 27, 1883 May 20, 1883 February 19, 1885   Chester A. Arthur
George Clayton Foulk Ensign George Clayton Foulk, USN — NH 85539.jpg (acting) February 19, 1885 June 12, 1886 (acting) Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
William Harwar Parker William Harwar Parker.jpg February 19, 1886 June 12, 1886 September 3, 1886   Grover Cleveland
George Clayton Foulk Ensign George Clayton Foulk, USN — NH 85539.jpg (acting) September 3, 1886 April 13, 1887 (acting) Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
Hugh A. Dinsmore Hugh A. Dinsmore.jpg January 12, 1887 April 13, 1887 May 26, 1890   William McKinley
Augustine Heard Augustine heard.jpg January 30, 1890 May 26, 1890 June 27, 1893  
John M. B. Sill John M B Sill-Michigan State Normal-1899.jpg January 12, 1894 April 30, 1894 September 13, 1897
Horace Newton Allen Horace Newton Allen.jpg July 17, 1897 September 13, 1897 October 1, 1901
June 17, 1901 October 1, 1901 June 9, 1905 as Envoy
Edwin V. Morgan Portrait of Edwin V. Morgan.jpg March 18, 1905 June 26, 1905 November 17, 1905 Theodore Roosevelt

South Korea

At the end of World War II, U.S. forces accepted Japan's 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. Other countries, like the Soviet Union, recognized the Pyongyang government in North Korea, but did not initially establish relations with the South Korean government in Seoul.

The United States has maintained constant diplomatic relations with South Korea since 1948, with formal recognition of the Republic of Korea on 1 January 1949. The American special representative, John J. Muccio, became the first Ambassador to the Republic of Korea on March 1, 1949.

The Embassy of the United States in Seoul has jurisdiction over APP Busan.

Ambassador

# Name Portrait Appointment Presentation Termination Appointer Notes
1 John J. Muccio John Muccio.jpg April 7, 1949 April 20, 1949 September 8, 1952   Harry S. Truman
2 Ellis O. Briggs Ellis O. Briggs 1953 (cropped).jpg August 25, 1952 November 25, 1952 April 12, 1955
3 William S. B. Lacy Portrait gray.png March 24, 1955 May 12, 1955 October 20, 1955   Dwight D. Eisenhower
4 Walter C. Dowling Portrait gray.png May 29, 1956 July 14, 1956 October 2, 1959
5 Walter P. McConaughy Photograph of Walter P. McConaughy 59-SO-186-VS-255-53.jpg October 5, 1959 December 17, 1959 April 12, 1961
Marshall Green Portrait gray.png (acting) April 12, 1961 June 27, 1961 (acting) Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
6 Samuel D. Berger Portrait gray.png June 12, 1961 June 27, 1961 July 10, 1964   John F. Kennedy
7 Winthrop G. Brown W G Brown.jpg July 31, 1964 August 14, 1964 June 10, 1967   Lyndon B. Johnson
8 William J. Porter WilliamJPorter.jpg June 9, 1967 August 23, 1967 August 18, 1971
9 Philip C. Habib Philip Habib.jpg September 30, 1971 October 10, 1971 August 19, 1974   Richard Nixon
10 Richard L. Sneider Portrait gray.png August 23, 1974 September 18, 1974 June 21, 1978   Gerald Ford
11 William H. Gleysteen Jr. William H. Gleysteen.png June 27, 1978 July 24, 1978 June 10, 1981   Jimmy Carter
12 Richard L. Walker Richard 'Dixie' Walker.jpg July 18, 1981 August 12, 1981 October 25, 1986   Ronald Reagan
13 James R. Lilley James Roderick Lilley.jpg October 16, 1986 November 26, 1986 January 3, 1989
14 Donald Gregg Portrait gray.png September 14, 1989 September 27, 1989 February 27, 1993   George H. W. Bush
Raymond Burghardt Raymond F. Burghardt at DPP USA Representative Office opening ceremony 20130614.jpg (acting) February 27, 1993 November 2, 1993 (acting) Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
15 James T. Laney Portrait gray.png October 15, 1993 November 2, 1993 February 5, 1996   Bill Clinton
Richard A. Christenson Portrait gray.png (acting) February 5, 1996 December 15, 1997 (acting) Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
16 Stephen W. Bosworth Stephen W Bosworth Special Representative.jpg October 24, 1997 December 15, 1997 February 10, 2001 Bill Clinton
Evans Revere Portrait gray.png (acting) February 10, 2001 September 12, 2001 (acting) Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
17 Thomas C. Hubbard ThomasHubbard.jpg August 3, 2001 September 12, 2001 April 17, 2004   George W. Bush
18 Christopher R. Hill 2006 0922 chris hill.jpg May 12, 2004 September 1, 2004 April 12, 2005
Mark C. Minton Mark C. Minton.jpg (acting) April 12, 2005 October 17, 2005 (acting) Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
19 Alexander R. Vershbow Alexander Vershbow.JPG October 12, 2005 October 17, 2005 September 18, 2008 George W. Bush
20 Kathleen Stephens Kathleen Stevens.jpg August 4, 2008 October 6, 2008 October 23, 2011
21 Sung Kim Ambassador-Sung-Kim-2020.jpg October 13, 2011 November 25, 2011 October 24, 2014   Barack Obama
22 Mark Lippert Mark Lippert Secretary.jpg September 26, 2014 November 21, 2014 January 20, 2017
Marc Knapper Marc Knapper DCM portrait.jpg (acting) January 20, 2017 July 7, 2018 (acting) Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
23 Harry B. Harris Jr. Harry Harris, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea.jpg June 29, 2018 July 25, 2018 January 20, 2021   Donald Trump
Robert G. Rapson Robert G. Rapson (2).jpg (acting) January 20, 2021 July 15, 2021 (acting) Chargé d’Affaires ad interim
Christopher Del Corso Christopher Del Corso.jpg (acting) July 15, 2021 July 10, 2022 (acting)
24 Philip Goldberg Philip S. Goldberg official photo (cropped).jpg May 5, 2022 July 12, 2022 Incumbent   Joe Biden

See also

  • List of ambassadors of South Korea to the United States
  • List of United States Special Representatives for North Korea
  • Ambassadors of the United States
  • Foreign relations of North Korea
  • Foreign relations of South Korea
  • North Korea–United States relations
  • South Korea–United States relations
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