{{Short description|South Korean-born American diplomat (born 1960)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2017}} {{family name hatnote|Kim||lang=Korean}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Sung Kim |image = Ambassador-Sung-Kim-2020.jpg |caption = Kim in 2020 |office = [[United States Ambassador to Indonesia]] |president = [[Donald Trump]]<br />[[Joe Biden]] |term_start = October 21, 2020 |term_end = November 21, 2023<ref>{{cite web | url=https://id.usembassy.gov/ambassador-sung-y-kim-bids-farewell-to-indonesia-michael-f-kleine-assumes-duty-as-charge-daffaires-a-i/ | title=Ambassador Sung y. Kim Bids Farewell to Indonesia; Michael F. Kleine Assumes Duty as Chargé d'Affaires a.i. | date=November 21, 2023 }}</ref> |predecessor = [[Joseph R. Donovan Jr.]] |successor = [[Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir]] |office1 = [[List of United States Special Representatives for North Korea|United States Special Envoy for North Korea]] |president1 = Joe Biden |term_start1 = May 21, 2021 |term_end1 = November 21, 2023 |predecessor1 = [[Stephen Biegun]] |successor1 = [[Jung H. Pak]] |term_start2 = November 6, 2014 |term_end2 = November 3, 2016 |president2 = [[Barack Obama]] |predecessor2 = [[Glyn T. Davies]] |successor2 = [[Joseph Y. Yun]] |office3 = [[Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs]] |president3 = Joe Biden |status3 = Acting |term_start3 = January 20, 2021 |term_end3 = June 4, 2021<ref name="State EAP" /> |predecessor3 = David R. Stilwell |successor3 = [[Daniel Kritenbrink]] |office4 = [[List of ambassadors of the United States to the Philippines|United States Ambassador to the Philippines]] |president4 = Barack Obama<br />Donald Trump |term_start4 = December 6, 2016 |term_end4 = October 4, 2020<ref name="Historian" /> |predecessor4 = [[Philip Goldberg]] |successor4 = [[John C. Law]]<br />{{small|(Chargé d'Affaires)}}<br />[[MaryKay Carlson]] |office5 = [[List of ambassadors of the United States to South Korea|United States Ambassador to South Korea]] |president5 = Barack Obama |term_start5 = November 25, 2011 |term_end5 = October 24, 2014 |predecessor5 = [[Kathleen Stephens]] |successor5 = [[Mark Lippert]] |office6 = [[List of United States Special Representatives for North Korea|United States Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks]] |president6 = [[George W. Bush]]<br />Barack Obama |term_start6 = July 31, 2008 |term_end6 = October 13, 2011 |predecessor6 = [[Christopher R. Hill]] |successor6 = [[Clifford Hart]] |birth_name = Kim Sung Yong |birth_date = {{birth year and age|1960}}<ref name="Historian">{{Cite web |title=Sung Y. Kim (1960-) |url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/kim-sung-y |access-date=October 24, 2020 |publisher=U.S. Department of State, [[Office of the Historian]]}}</ref> |birth_place = [[Seoul]], South Korea |death_date = |death_place = |spouse = Jae Eun Chung |children = 2 |alma_mater = [[University of Pennsylvania]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br />[[Loyola Law School|Loyola Marymount University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])<br />[[London School of Economics]] ([[Master of Laws|LLM]]) |module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto | child = yes | hangul = %김성용 | hanja = 金星容 | hanjaref = <ref>{{Cite web |title=성 김, 미 국무부 동아태 차관보 대행 임명 |publisher=시사경제신문 |url=http://www.sisanews.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=57780 |author=성민호|date=2021-01-22 |access-date=2021-03-28 |archive-date=2021-03-28 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210328165559/http://www.sisanews.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=57780}}</ref> }} }}
'''Sung Yong Kim''' ({{Korean|hangul=김성용}}; born 1960)<ref name="Historian" /><ref name="UPenn">{{citation|url=https://www.archives.upenn.edu/primdocs/upg/upg7/upg7_1982.pdf|title=Two Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Commencement for the Conferring of Degrees|publisher=University of Pennsylvania|date=May 17, 1982|page=12}}</ref> is an American business advisor<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> and retired diplomat of Korean descent who served as the [[United States Special Representative for North Korea Policy]] from 2014 to 2016, and again from 2021 to 2023. He also served as the acting [[Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs]] from January to June 2021.<ref name="State EAP">{{citation |url=https://www.state.gov/biographies/sung-kim/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210618045033/https://www.state.gov/biographies/sung-kim/ |url-status=live |archive-date=June 18, 2021 |publisher=[[U.S. Department of State]] |title=Sung Kim, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs |access-date=June 18, 2021 }}</ref><ref name="Congress">{{Cite web |date=2020-08-06 |title=PN967 – Nomination of Sung Y. Kim for Department of State, 116th Congress (2019–2020) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/116th-congress/967 |access-date=2020-08-25 |website=www.congress.gov|publisher=[[United States Congress]]}}</ref>
In 2008, Kim was appointed by President [[George W. Bush]] as the [[List of United States Special Representatives for North Korea|U.S. Special Envoy]] for the [[six-party talks]]. He later served in the [[Presidency of Barack Obama|Obama]] and [[First presidency of Donald Trump|first Trump administrations]] as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to South Korea|Ambassador to South Korea]] from 2011 to 2014 and as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to the Philippines|Ambassador to the Philippines]] from 2016 to 2020.<ref name="StatePA">{{cite web|title=Sung Kim |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/111575.htm|publisher=[[United States Department of State|U.S. Department of State]]|date=November 6, 2014|access-date=November 17, 2015}}</ref> In 2020, Kim was appointed by President [[Donald Trump]] as [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Indonesia|Ambassador to Indonesia]]. He later reprised his role as special envoy to North Korea in the [[Presidency of Joe Biden|Biden administration]].
== Early life and education == Sung Kim was born in [[Seoul]], South Korea, in 1960 to a South Korean diplomat and moved to the [[United States]] in 1973 following his father's posting in [[Tokyo]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://goldsea.com/Text/index.php?id=11094|title=Asian American: Sung Kim Named Ambassador to S. Korea Goldsea}}</ref> Kim later grew up in [[Los Angeles]] and graduated from the [[University of Pennsylvania]] (BA, 1982), [[Loyola Law School]] of the [[Loyola Marymount University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]], 1985), and the [[London School of Economics]] ([[Master of Laws|LL.M]]).<ref name="UPenn" /><ref name="Loyola">{{cite web|url=http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1070&context=loyola_lawyer|title=Sung Kim '85|work=Loyola Lawyer|publisher=Loyola Law School|volume=70|year=2013|page=15}}</ref> He also holds an [[honorary degree]] from the [[Catholic University of Korea]].<ref name="USEmbManila">{{cite web|title=Ambassador-Designate Sung Kim|url=https://ph.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/ambassador/|publisher=[[Embassy of the United States, Manila]]|access-date=December 4, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220031720/https://ph.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/ambassador/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Professional career == Before joining the [[United States Foreign Service]] at the [[United States Department of State|State Department]], Kim worked as [[public prosecutor]] at the [[Los Angeles County District Attorney]]'s office.<ref name="Loyola" />
He then worked as Staff Assistant in the [[Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] Kim was then assigned to [[United States Embassy in Seoul]] and worked as the Chief of Political Military Affairs. He then served as a Political Officer in [[Tokyo]], Japan. His other assignments were to [[Kuala Lumpur]] and [[Hong Kong]]. Back in Washington, he was appointed Director of the Office of Korean Affairs and served in the position from August 2006 to July 2008. On July 31, 2008, he was appointed Special Envoy for the Six-Party talks and accorded the rank of an ambassador after confirmation of nomination by the [[U.S. Senate]].<ref name="StatePA" />
== United States Ambassadorship == === Ambassador to South Korea === On June 24, 2011, President Obama nominated Kim to be the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to South Korea|U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/24/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts |title=President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts |date=June 24, 2011 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |work=[[whitehouse.gov]] |access-date=October 13, 2011}}</ref> However, Kim's nomination stalled after U.S. Senator [[Jon Kyl]] placed a hold<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/13/politics/korea-state-visit/index.html?eref=rss_politics |title=U.S., South Korean presidents hail trade deal |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=October 13, 2011 |access-date=October 13, 2011}}</ref> on Kim's nomination over concerns not with Kim but with U.S. policy toward North Korea. On October 13, 2011, Kyl lifted his hold on Kim's nomination and the Senate confirmed Kim by [[unanimous consent]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.senate.gov/galleries/pdcl/ |title=Today's Senate Floor Log |publisher=US Senate |date=October 13, 2011 |access-date=October 13, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/10/13/us_ambassador_to_south_korea_finally_confirmed |title=U.S. Ambassador to South Korea finally confirmed |publisher=Foreign Policy |author=Josh Rogin |date=October 13, 2011 |access-date=October 13, 2011 |archive-date=October 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016150826/http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/10/13/us_ambassador_to_south_korea_finally_confirmed |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Kim completed his assignment to South Korea in late October 2014 and returned to the United States, where he was expected to continue to work on diplomacy involving East Asia. Mark Lippert was sworn in to succeed Kim as ambassador on October 24, 2014, in Washington, D.C.
In May 2014, near the end of his tenure, Kim was honored by the Asia Society for his service in Korea. Jonathan Karp, executive director of Asia Society, said Kim has done a lot to advance relations between the U.S. and Korea as a representative of the Obama administration.<ref>"[http://www.koreatimesus.com/asia-society-to-honor-ambassador-sung-kim-at-gala/ Asia Society to honor Ambassador Sung Kim at gala May 16, 2014]"</ref> He was also named an honorary citizen of Seoul by Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon who said to Kim "Time flies so quickly. I must say I'm sad you have to return to your country... Even after you leave Korea for your next post, I ask of you that, as an honorary citizen of Seoul, you continue to have special interests in and affection for the city of Seoul and for Korea." In response, Kim said "It is after all my city of birth and the place I have always considered to be my second home."<ref>[http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2014/07/31/99/0301000000AEN20140731002351315F.html U.S. ambassador becomes honorary citizen of Seoul July 31, 2014]</ref>
=== Ambassador to the Philippines === [[File:Secretary Pompeo Chats With Ambassador Kim Behind the Scenes at the Singapore Summit (41855738615).jpg|thumb|left|Kim (right) speaks with U.S. Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]] in 2018 at the [[2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit|Singapore Summit]].]] On May 19, 2016, U.S. President Obama nominated Kim to replace [[Philip Goldberg]] as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to the Philippines|U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines]].<ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. President Obama nominates Sung Kim as ambassador to Philippines|url=http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/05/20/obama-us-ambassador-kim-sung-philippines.html|access-date=May 20, 2016|work=[[CNN Philippines]]|date=May 20, 2016|archive-date=May 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525203842/http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/05/20/obama-us-ambassador-kim-sung-philippines.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 28, 2016, and was sworn in by Secretary of State [[John Kerry]] at the [[Harry S Truman Building|Department of State]] on Thursday, November 3, 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Esguerra|first1=Anthony|title=Korean-born Sung Kim sworn in as US envoy to the Philippines|url=http://globalnation.inquirer.net/148718/korean-born-sung-kim-sworn-in-as-us-envoy-to-the-philippines|access-date=November 4, 2016|newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]]|date=November 3, 2016}}</ref> Kim arrived in [[Manila]] on December 3, a month after he was sworn in,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Esguerra|first1=Anthony|title=New US envoy Sung Kim arrives in Manila|url=https://globalnation.inquirer.net/150295/new-us-envoy-sung-kim-arrives-manila|access-date=December 3, 2016|newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]]|date=December 1, 2016}}</ref> and presented his [[Diplomatic credentials|credentials]] to Philippine President [[Rodrigo Duterte]] on December 6.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Corrales|first1=Nestor|title=New US envoy Sung Kim vows to strengthen friendship, alliance with PH|url=https://globalnation.inquirer.net/150400/us-ambassador-ph-sung-kim-vows-strengthen-friendship-alliance|access-date=December 7, 2016|newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]]|date=December 6, 2016}}</ref>
Kim, while Ambassador to the Philippines, led a delegation of American diplomats to hold talks with North Korean officials in [[Panmunjom]] in late May 2018. These talks were in regards to the upcoming summit between [[President of the United States|President]] [[Donald Trump]] and [[Kim Jong-un]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Epstein|first1=Jennifer|last2=Kong|first2=Kanga|title=White House Races to Prepare for Revived North Korea Summit|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-29/trump-to-meet-abe-to-prepare-for-planned-north-korea-summit|website=Bloomberg.com|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=30 May 2018|language=en|date=29 May 2018}}</ref>
=== Ambassador to Indonesia === [[File:Duta Besar Baru AS Sung Kim Serahkan Surat Kepercayaan Pada Presiden Jokowi (50515038461).jpg|thumb|Sung Kim accompanied by local officials at the [[Merdeka Palace|Presidential Palace]]]] On July 10, 2019, the White House announced that he would be appointed to be [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Indonesia|Ambassador to Indonesia]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Spero|first=Domani|date=2019-07-22|title=U.S. Embassy Manila's Amb. Sung Y. Kim to be the Next U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia|url=https://diplopundit.net/2019/07/22/u-s-embassy-manilas-amb-sung-y-kim-to-be-the-next-u-s-ambassador-to-indonesia/|access-date=2020-10-23|website=Diplopundit|language=en-US}}</ref> On August 6, 2020, his nomination was confirmed by [[voice vote]].<ref name="Congress" /> He was appointed on August 31, 2020<ref name="Historian" /> and assumed office in October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ambassador Sung Kim |url=http://id.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/our-ambassador/ |access-date=2020-10-08 |website=U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Indonesia |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== U.S. special envoy for North Korea === President [[Joe Biden]] announced on May 21, 2021, that he would serve as the [[List of United States Special Representatives for North Korea|U.S. special envoy for North Korea]].<ref>{{Cite web |title= Biden Appoints Career Diplomat Sung Kim To Serve As Special Envoy To North Korea|url=https://www.wkyufm.org/post/biden-appoints-career-diplomat-sung-kim-serve-special-envoy-north-korea#stream/0|access-date=2021-05-22|website=The Public Radio Service of Western Kentucky University|language=en-US|date= 22 May 2021}}</ref> Kim retired in December 2023 to serve as an adviser for South Korean automaker [[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Dong-woo |first=Chang |date=2023-12-08 |title=Top U.S. envoy on N. Korea, Sung Kim, to join Hyundai Motor as adviser |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231208006200320 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240802000351/https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231208006200320 |archive-date=2024-08-02 |access-date=2025-02-12 |work=Yonhap News Agency |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2023-12-08 |title=US envoy for North Korea to join Hyundai Motor as an adviser |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/us-envoy-north-korea-join-hyundai-motor-an-adviser-2023-12-08/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209085924/https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/us-envoy-north-korea-join-hyundai-motor-an-adviser-2023-12-08/ |archive-date=2023-12-09 |access-date=2025-02-12 |work=Reuters |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Foreign honors === * Philippines: Grand Cross ''(Datu)'' of the [[Order of Sikatuna]] (GrCS) (8 September 2020)
== Personal life == Kim is married to Jae Eun Chung, with whom he has two daughters.<ref name="USEmbManila">{{cite web|title=Ambassador-Designate Sung Kim|url=https://ph.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/ambassador/|publisher=[[Embassy of the United States, Manila]]|access-date=December 4, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220031720/https://ph.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/ambassador/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He speaks [[Korean language|Korean]] and [[Japanese language|Japanese]], as well as [[English language|English]].
== See also == *[[North Korea–United States relations]] *[[Philippines–United States relations]] *[[Division of Korea]] *[[Korean War]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} *{{C-SPAN|1028153}}
{{s-start}} {{s-dip}} {{s-bef|before=[[Cameron Munter]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States Special Representative for North Korea Policy|United States Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks]]|years=2008–2011}} {{s-aft|after=[[Clifford Hart]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Kathleen Stephens]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States Ambassador to South Korea]]|years=2011–2014}} {{s-aft|after=[[Mark Lippert]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Glyn T. Davies]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States Special Representative for North Korea Policy|United States Special Envoy for North Korea Policy]]|years=2014–2016}} {{s-aft|after=[[Joseph Y. Yun]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Philip Goldberg]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States Ambassador to the Philippines]]|years=2016–2020}} {{s-aft|after=[[John C. Law]]<br />{{small|(Chargé d’Affaires)}}<br />[[MaryKay Carlson]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Joseph R. Donovan Jr.]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States Ambassador to Indonesia]]|years=2020–2023}} {{s-aft|after=Michael F. Kleine<br />{{small|(Chargé d’Affaires)}}}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Stephen Biegun]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of United States Special Representatives for North Korea|United States Special Envoy for the DPRK]]|years=2021–2023}} {{s-aft|after=[[Jung H. Pak]]}} {{s-end}} {{US Ambassadors to Korea}} {{US Ambassadors to the Philippines}} {{US Ambassadors to Indonesia}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Sung}} [[Category:1960 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century American diplomats]] [[Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Indonesia]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to the Philippines]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to South Korea]] [[Category:American prosecutors]] [[Category:George W. Bush administration personnel]] [[Category:Loyola Law School alumni]] [[Category:Obama administration personnel]] [[Category:People from Seoul]] [[Category:Lawyers from Los Angeles]] [[Category:South Korean emigrants to the United States]] [[Category:United States Department of State officials]] [[Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni]] [[Category:United States special envoys]] [[Category:United States Foreign Service personnel]]