Former Chiefs of Mission in Korea - from 1883 ~
* All information from the U.S. Department of State
   
 
Oct 2005 ~ Sep 2008  

Name: Alexander R. Vershbow
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Oct 12, 2005
Presentation of Credentials: Oct 17, 2005
Termination of Mission: Left post, September 2008

 
 
Sep 2004 ~ Apr 2005  

Name: Christopher R. Hill
State of Residency: Rhode Island
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: May 12 2004
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 1, 2004
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 12, 2005

 
 
Sep 2001 ~ Apr 2004  

Name: Thomas C. Hubbard
State of Residency: Tennessee
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Aug 3, 2001
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 12, 2001
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 17, 2004

 
Dec 1997 ~ Feb 2001  

Name: Steven W. Bosworth
State of Residency: Connecticut
Non-career appointee (former Foreign Service officer)
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Oct 24, 1997
Presentation of Credentials: Dec 15, 1997
Termination of Mission: Left post Feb 10, 2001

 
Note: Richard A. Christenson served as Charge d'Affaires ad interim, Feb 1996~Dec 1997.
 
Nov 1993 ~ Feb 1996  

Name: James T. Laney
State of Residency: Georgia
Non-career appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Oct 15, 1993
Presentation of Credentials: Nov 2, 1993
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 5, 1996

 
Sep 1989 ~ Feb 1993  

Name: Donald Phinney Gregg
State of Residency: Maryland
Non-career appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Sep 14, 1989
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 27, 1989
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 27, 1993

 
 
Nov 1986 ~ Jan 1988  

Name: James Roderick Lilley
State of Residency: Maryland
Non-career appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Oct 16, 1986
Presentation of Credentials: Nov 26, 1986
Termination of Mission: Left post, Jan 3, 1989

 
Aug 1981 ~ Oct 1986  

Name: Richard L. Walker
State of Residency: South Carolina
Non-career appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jul 18, 1981
Presentation of Credentials: Aug 12, 1981
Termination of Mission: Left post, Oct 25 1986

 
Jul 1978 ~ Jun 1981  

Name: William H. Gleysteen, Jr.
State of Residency: Pennsylvania
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jun 27, 1978
Presentation of Credentials: Jul 24, 1978
Termination of Mission: Left post, Jun 10, 1981

 
Sep 1974 ~ Jun 1978  

Name: Richard L. Sneider

State of Residency: New York
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Aug 23, 1974
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 18, 1974
Termination of Mission: Left post, Jun 21, 1978
 
Oct 1971 ~ Aug 1974  

Name: Philip C. Habib
State of Residency: California
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Sep 30, 1971
Presentation of Credentials: Oct 10, 1971
Termination of Mission: Left post, Aug 19, 1974

 
Aug 1967 ~ Aug 1971  
Name: William J. Porter
State of Residency: Massachusetts
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jun 9, 1967
Presentation of Credentials: Aug 23, 1967
Termination of Mission: Left post, Aug 18, 1971
 
Aug 1964 ~ Jun 1967  

Name: Winthrop G. Brown
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jul 31, 1964
Presentation of Credentials: Aug 14, 1964
Termination of Mission: Left post, Jun 10, 1967

 
Jun 1961 ~ Jul 1964  

Name: Samuel D. Berger
State of Residency: New York
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jun 12, 1961
Presentation of Credentials: Jun 27, 1961
Termination of Mission: Left post, Jul 10, 1964

 
Apr 1961 ~ Jun 1961  

Name: Marshal Green
Note: Interim appointment only.
 
Dec 1959 ~ Apr 1961  

Name: Walter P. McConaughy
State of Residency: Alabama
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Oct 5, 1959
Presentation of Credentials: Dec 17, 1959
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 12, 1961
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 21, 1960.
 
Jul 1956 ~ Oct 1959  

Name: Walter C. Dowling
State of Residency: Georgia
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: May 29, 1956
Presentation of Credentials: Jul 14, 1956
Termination of Mission: Left post, Oct 2, 1959

 
May 1955 ~ Oct 1955  

Name: William S.B. Lacy
State of Residency: Virginia
Non-career appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Mar 24, 1955
Presentation of Credentials: May 12, 1955
Termination of Mission: Left post, Oct 20, 1955

 
Nov 1952 ~ May 1955  

Name: Ellis O. Briggs
State of Residency: Maine
Foreign Service office
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Aug 25, 1952
Presentation of Credentials: Nov 25, 1952
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 12, 1955
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jul 28, 1953.
 
Apr 1949 ~ Nov 1952  

Name: John J. Muccio
State of Residency: Rhode Island
Foreign Service officer
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Apr 7, 1949
Presentation of Credentials: Apr 20, 1949
Termination of Mission: Left Korea, Sep 8, 1952

 
Jun 1905 ~ Dec 1905  

Name: Edwin V. Morgan
State of Residency: New York
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Mar 18, 1905
Presentation of Credentials: Jun 26, 1905
Termination of Mission: Japan assumed direction of Korean foreign relations, Nov 17, 1905
Note: Morgan closed the Legation, Nov 28, 1905, and left Korea, Dec 8, 1905.

 
Oct 1901 ~ Jun 1905  

Name: Horace N. Allen
State of Residency: Ohio
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Jun 17, 1901
Presentation of Credentials: Oct 1, 1901
Termination of Mission: Left Korea, Jun 9, 1905
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Dec 10, 1901.
 
Sep 1897 ~ Oct 1901  

Name: Horace N. Allen
State of Residency: Ohio
Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
Appointment: Jul 17, 1897
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 13, 1897
Termination of Mission: Promoted to Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

 
Apr 1894 ~ Sep 1897  

Name: John M.B. Sill
State of Residency: Michigan
Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
Appointment: Jan 12, 1894
Presentation of Credentials: Apr 30, 1894
Termination of Mission: Presented recall, Sep 13, 1897

 
May 1890 ~ Jun 1893  

Name: Augustine Heard
State of Residency: Massachusetts
Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
Appointment: Jan 30, 1890
Presentation of Credentials: May 26, 1890
Termination of Mission: Presented recall, Jun 27, 1893

 
Mar 1889  

Name: William O. Bradley
State of Residency: Kentucky
Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
Appointment: Mar 30, 1889
Note: Declined appointment.
 
Apr 1887 ~ May 1890  

Name: Hugh A. Dinsmore
State of Residency: Arkansas
Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
Appointment: Jan 12, 1887
Presentation of Credentials: Apr 13, 1887
Termination of Mission: Presented recall, May 26, 1890
 
Jun 1886 ~ Sep 1886  

Name: William H. Parker
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
Appointment: Feb 19, 1886
Presentation of Credentials: Jun 12, 1886
Termination of Mission: Left Korea, Sep 3, 1886
 
Jul 1884 ~ Feb 1885  

Name: Lucius H. Foote
State of Residency: California
Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
Appointment: Jul 7, 1884
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 28, 1885, but declined appointment when the grade of the mission was lowered.
 
May 1883 ~ Jul 1884  

Name: Lucius H. Foote
State of Residency: California
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointment: Feb 27, 1883
Presentation of Credentials: May 20, 1883
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 19, 1885
 

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