Ambassador Sung Y. Kim

On November 3, 2016, Ambassador Sung Kim was sworn in as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines. He was nominated by President Barack Obama on May 19, 2016 and confirmed by the United States Senate on September 28, 2016.

Previously, Ambassador Kim served as Special Representative for North Korea Policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Korea and Japan. From November 2011 until October 2014, he was the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. Ambassador Kim has also served as the Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks with the rank of Ambassador.

He has served in a variety of positions in the Asia Pacific region, including overseas assignments in Seoul, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and Hongkong. Ambassador Kim's Washington assignments have included director of the Office of Korean Affairs and political-military affairs in the Office of Chinese Affairs. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he 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 University. He also holds a Master of Laws degree from the London School of Economics and an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Korea.

Ambassador Kim is married to Jae Eun Chung, and they have two daughters.