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Julie J. Chung

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Julie Chung
United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 25, 2022
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byAlaina B. Teplitz
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
Acting
In office
January 20, 2021 – August 3, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byMichael Kozak
Succeeded byRicardo Zúñiga
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
In office
November 2018[1] – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byKenneth H. Merten
Succeeded byHugo Rodriguez
Deputy Chief of Mission, United States Embassy Phnom Penh
In office
2014–2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJeff Daigle
Succeeded byMichael Newbill
Personal details
Born
Chung Ji-yoon

1973 (age 50–51)[2]
Seoul, South Korea
NationalityAmerican
EducationUniversity of California, San Diego (BA)
Columbia University (MA)
Korean name
Hangul
정지윤
Hanja
Revised RomanizationJeong Ji-yun
McCune–ReischauerChŏng Chi-yun

Julie Jiyoon Chung (Korean: 줄리 정, birth 1973[2]), birth name as Chung Ji-yoon (Korean: 정지윤; Hanja: 鄭智允),[4][5][3] is a Korean-American diplomat who has served as the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka since 2022. She previously served as Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the United States Department of State's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA).[1] Her first overseas assignment was in Guangzhou, China. Chung has later served in several posts in Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Colombia and Iraq.[1]

Early life and education

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Born in Seoul, South Korea,[6][7] Chung immigrated to California with her family in 1977 at the age of 5.

She received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of California, San Diego and a Master of Arts in international affairs from Columbia University.[1]

Career

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Chung joins Secretary Blinken’s virtual roundtable with Foreign Ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), from the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on April 21, 2021.

After joining the Foreign Service in 1996, Chung's first overseas post was as a consular officer at the United States Consulate General Guangzhou, China. At the United States Embassy Tokyo, Japan, she worked as the bilateral trade officer for the civil aviation and automobile sectors. While posted to the Office of Korean Affairs, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP/K), she traveled frequently to Pyongyang, North Korea, representing the U.S. working-level group for the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO).[8] In April 2003, she served as Special Assistant for EAP to Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State. At the Embassy Hanoi, Vietnam, she acted as an Assistant Public Affairs Officer,[9] and later as a coordinator for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).[8] During her tenure as Deputy Political Counselor at the Embassy Bogota, Colombia, she managed the U.S. government's largest extradition program, as well as the United States representative to the Group of 24 (G-24). In Baghdad, Iraq, she served as Chief of Staff coordinating civilian-military foreign assistance with 13 agencies and sections.[1]

In August 2014, Chung was assigned to be the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) for the Embassy Phnom Penh.[8] In August 2017, she was transferred back to the U.S. to serve as the Director for the Office of Japanese Affairs (EAP/J).[10] and served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary from February–September 2018. From November 2018 to January 2021 she served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.[1]

Ambassador to Sri Lanka

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On June 15, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Chung to serve as United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka.[11] Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on October 20, 2021. The committee reported her nomination favorably on November 3, 2021. The United States Senate confirmed Chung on December 18, 2021, by voice vote.[12] On February 25, 2022, she presented her credentials to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka.[13]

US Ambassador Julie Chung has been accused by Sri Lankan parliamentarian, former minister Mr. Wimal Weerawansa of being involved in a conspiracy to overthrow former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government. These allegations were made in Mr. Weerawansa's book, "Navaya: Sengawunu Kathawa" (Nine: The Hidden Story), and were also referenced during his speech at the book's launch on April 25, 2023.[14]

On 31 August 2023, the Federation of National Organizations (Sri Lanka based Political Organization) delivered a letter to Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Ali Sabry, urging decisive measures to be taken against the US Ambassador Julie Chung to Sri Lanka due to violations of diplomatic protocols.[15][16]

In October 2023, the Sri Lanka's Parliament's Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security recommended informing US Ambassador Julie Chung to avoid commenting on Sri Lanka's internal affairs. This advice was prompted by the ambassador's remarks following the events of May 9, 2022. The Committee's Chairman, Retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, expressed concern in a letter to the State Defense Minister, questioning the legitimacy of statements about peaceful protests. Weerasekera accused the ambassador of conveying a negative image of Sri Lanka globally and accused her of endorsing acts of sabotage against the government. Citing the Vienna Treaty, he emphasized that ambassadors should not interfere in another country's internal affairs, urging Chung to refrain from such statements in the future.[17]

On 22 March 2024, Retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, MP, Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security, emphasized the necessity for the government to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the ousting of the elected President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. This call follows Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena's confirmation of direct intervention by US Ambassador Julie Chung in what he termed a "regime change project."[18][19]

Personal life

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Chung's father, Jay H. Chung (Korean: 정재훈; Hanja: 鄭載勳) is a space scientist. Her sister, Connie (Korean: 정윤경) served as a producer at a broadcast station in San Francisco.[4][7][5] Chung speaks Korean, Japanese, Khmer, and Spanish.[1] She has also learned Cantonese, Vietnamese,[9] and Thai.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Julie J. Chung: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  2. ^ a b "줄리지윤정, CHUNG JIYOON JULIE". Chosun Ilbo. Archived from the original on 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  3. ^ a b 鄭藍 (Lan Cheng) (1996). "第四章 抄家後來訪者". 馨香的事奉-林獻羔見證 [A Fragrant Devotion: A firm conviction of Samuel Lamb in God]. 天道書樓. ISBN 978-962-208-190-1. 8月7日，美領事吳錫麟與夫人、副領事鄭智允來訪。 [Visit by U.S. consul Melvin T.L. Ang and vice consul Julie Jiyoon Chung on August 7.]
  4. ^ a b 백승재 (2004-01-05). "〔사람들〕 화성 탐사선 핵심 기술은 '메이드 인 코리아'" [Core Technology of the Space Probe for Mars is 'Made in Korea']. Chosun Ilbo. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  5. ^ a b 이명조 (2004-01-11). "<연합초대석> 재미 우주과학자 정재훈 박사" [Dr. Jay H. Chung, an interesting Space Scientist]. Yonhap News Agency (YNA). Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  6. ^ "Remarks by Deputy Chief of Mission Julie Chung at the Harpswell Foundation Leadership Seminar". U.S. Embassy in Cambodia. 2015-03-01. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  7. ^ a b "The Making of a Real American Diplomat". American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  8. ^ a b c d "Deputy Chief of Mission Julie Chung". U.S. Embassy in Cambodia. Archived from the original on 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  9. ^ a b "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: Julie Chung". Bureau of Public Affairs. 2005-05-03. Archived from the original on 2017-05-21. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  10. ^ "日本部長にチャン氏起用へ／米国務省" [Chung is Appointed to be Office Director for Japan/ U.S. Department of State]. Shikoku News. 2017-05-04. Archived from the original on 2017-05-08. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  11. ^ "President Biden Announces His Intent to Nominate Nine More Individuals to Serve as Ambassadors". The White House. 2021-06-15. Archived from the original on 2021-12-18. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
  12. ^ "PN897 – Nomination of Julie Chung for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021–2022)". www.congress.gov. December 18, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  13. ^ "U.S. Ambassador Chung Presents Credentials to President Rajapaksa". U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka. 2022-02-25. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  14. ^ "Wimal and US envoy trade barbs over conspiracy allegations".
  15. ^ "Letter against US Ambassador handed over to FM".
  16. ^ "Sabry urged to rein in foreign envoys interfering in domestic affairs". September 2023.
  17. ^ "Refrain from commenting on SL's internal affairs".
  18. ^ "Sri Lanka Parliamentary speaker's revelations on external interventions".
  19. ^ "US hand in GR's ouster: Speaker finally confirms allegations".
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Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Deputy chief of mission
United States Embassy Phnom Penh
2014–2017 		Succeeded by
Michael Newbill
Preceded by Director for the Office of Japanese Affairs
Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
2017–2018 		Succeeded by
James Heller
Preceded byas Acting PDAS Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Western Hemisphere Affairs
2018–2021 		Succeeded by
Hugo Rodriguez
Preceded byas Acting AS Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs
2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka
2022–present 		Incumbent
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