Kathleen Stephens

Kathleen Stephens was the United States ambassador to South Korea from 2008 to 2011.[1][2] She also served as the United States' chargé d'affaires to India from March to December 2014. She currently leads the Korea Economic Institute of America as President and CEO.

Kathleen Stephens
20th United States Ambassador to South Korea
In office October 6, 2008 – October 23, 2011
President	George W. Bush Barack Obama
Preceded by	Alexander Vershbow
Succeeded by	Sung Kim
Personal details
Born	1953 (age 67–68) Texas, United States
Alma mater	Prescott College (B.A.) Harvard University (M.P.A.) Chungnam National University University of Maryland
Nickname(s)	Shim Eungyeong (심은경)

Early life

Stephens was born in west Texas and grew up in New Mexico and Arizona.[3] She holds a B.A. in East Asian studies from Prescott College and a master's degree from Harvard University, and also studied at the University of Hong Kong and Oxford University. After college, she was a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea's Yesan, South Chungcheong from 1975–1977; it was then that she was given her Korean name Shim Eungyeong (심은경).

Career

Stephens joined the United States Foreign Service in 1978. Early in her career, Stephens served at U.S. missions in the People's Republic of China (1980–1982) and in Trinidad and Tobago (1978–1980). Her tour of duty in South Korea included roles as internal political unit chief at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul (1984–1987) and Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Busan (1987–1989). Afterwards, she worked as a political officer at the U.S. missions in Belgrade and Zagreb (1991–1992), senior desk officer for the United Kingdom in the Bureau of European Affairs (1992–1994), Director for European Affairs at the United States National Security Council, 1994–1995, Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1995–1998, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, 1998–2001, and Director of the Office of Ecology and Terrestrial Conservation at the United States Department of State, 2001-2003.[3]

Stephens assumed her duties as Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs on December 5, 2003, during which her primary responsibility was policy oversight and management of relations with the countries of South-Central Europe.[3] Following that, she assumed her duties as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in June 2005. In that capacity she was responsible for a variety of Bureau-wide issues, including post management. She had particular responsibility for the management of U.S. relations with Japan and Korea.[4][5]

In September 2015, she was named the William J. Perry Distinguished Fellow at Stanford University's Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC). She speaks several foreign languages including Korean, Serbo-Croatian, and Chinese.[6] As of September 1, 2018 the Board of Directors at the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) announced [7] they approved Ambassador Stephens as the next President & CEO.

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea

US Ambassador to South Korea Kathleen Stephens is greeted by Principal Park Jong-wan and students at Yesan Middle School where Stephens taught as a Peace Corps Volunteer 33 years before.

Stephens was nominated to be U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea in 2008. On August 1, 2008 the US Senate confirmed Stephens' nomination as US ambassador to South Korea.[8]

On October 8, 2008 Stephens presented her credentials to President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea.[9] The Chosun Ilbo reported that Stephens spoke to Lee in fluent Korean during parts of their meeting and said she would strengthen ties between the two countries.[9] On October 9, 2008 Stephens visited Yesan Middle School where she had taught as a Peace Corps volunteer 33 years before.[10] "Yesan is where I learned the qualities I needed to be a diplomat," said Stephens.[10] "I had warm-hearted colleagues who were out there for me, and students who studied hard despite many difficulties. I learned how to endure hardships and convince others, which is essential for a diplomat."[10]

Awards and Recognitions

Stephens has been honored by the U.S. Government and numerous private organizations. Her awards include the Presidential Meritorious Service Award (2009), the Sejong Cultural Award, the Korea-America Friendship Association Award (2013), and the Kevin O'Donnell Distinguished Friends of Korea Award (2016). She is a trustee at The Asia Foundation, on the boards of the Korea Society and Pacific Century Institute, and a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy.[11]

Personal life

Stephens resides in California.[4] She is a fluent speaker of Korean and Serbo-Croatian, and speaks Cantonese and Mandarin with limited competence.[1][4]

See also

• United States Ambassador to Korea

References

1. "차기 주한 美대사 '33년전 예산중 영어교사' (Next U.S. Ambassador to Korea was an English teacher at Yesan Middle 33 years ago)". Naver News. 2008-01-28. Archived from the original on 2013-01-29. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
2. "One-time E.V. resident now ambassador to S. Korea". Archived from the original on 2008-10-07.
3. "Biography of Kathleen Stephens". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
4. "Stephens, D. Kathleen". United States Department of State. Archived from the original on February 15, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
5. The Chosun Ilbo "Ex-U.S. Ambassador to Teach at Hankuk University" July 28, 2015
6. "U.S. State Department Bio January 2004"
7. http://keia.org/newsstory/press-release-ambassador-kathleen-stephens-appointed-president-ceo-kei
8. The Korea Times. "Senate Confirms Nomination of New US Envoy to Korea" August 3, 2008.
9. Chosun. "New U.S. Ambassador Presents Credentials to President Lee" October 7, 2008
10. Chosun. "Stephens' Korean Relations Go Beyond Diplomacy" October 9, 2008. Archived October 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
11. "Stanford Faculty Bio April 13, 2017"

External links

Media related to Kathleen Stephens at Wikimedia Commons

• Chief of Mission, Official Infopage
• Kathleen Stephens on Twitter
• Appearances on C-SPAN