About the Ambassador

Ambassador Sung Y. Kim

Biography
Sung Y. Kim

Sung Kim is the Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Korea.  He was nominated by President Barack Obama on June 27, 2011, and confirmed by the United States Senate on October 13, 2011. 

Prior to his appointment, Ambassador Kim was the Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks with the rank of Ambassador.  Before that, he headed the Office of Korean Affairs at the Department of State from August 2006 to July 2008.  Ambassador Kim also served in a variety of positions in the East Asia Pacific region including overseas assignments in Seoul, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.  Ambassador Kim’s Washington assignments have included stints as a desk officer in the State Department’s Office of Chinese Affairs and Staff Assistant in the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs.  Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Kim worked as a public prosecutor in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. 

Ambassador Kim was born in Seoul, Korea, and grew up in Los Angeles where he attended middle school and high school.  He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed a degree in law from Loyola.  He also holds a Master of Laws degree from the London School of Economics.  He is married to Jae Eun and they have two daughters.