United States Ambassador to South Korea
| Ambassador of the United States to South Korea 주한미국대사 |
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Seal of the United States Department of State
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| Nominator | President of the United States |
| Inaugural holder |
Lucius H. Foote as Envoy, Resident Minister and Counsul-General |
| Formation | 1883 |
| Website | U.S. Embassy - Seoul |
The United States Ambassador to South Korea is the chief diplomatic representative of the United States accredited to the Republic of Korea. The position is currently vacant, but Marc Knapper, formerly Deputy Chief of Mission under the previous Ambassador Mark Lippert, is serving as Chargé d’Affaires until a new ambassador is confirmed. The ambassador's official title is "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Korea."
After the United States–Korea Treaty of 1882 was negotiated, diplomatic representatives were sent from Washington to Seoul. From then until 1905, there were several Envoys and Consuls General, each heading what was called a legation. After the Japanese had defeated the Chinese in 1895, and the Russians in 1905, Korea began to see its independence disappear. By 1910, Japan had annexed Korea and the U.S. no longer had a diplomatic presence in Korea.
At the end of World War II, American forces accepted Imperial Japan's surrender in southern Korea, and Soviet forces accepted the surrender of the Japanese in northern Korea. Talks to agree upon a unity government for Korea failed and in 1948, two separate Korean states were created: the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The United States established diplomatic relations with the new South Korean government, but did not recognize North Korea. Other countries, like the Soviet Union, recognized the Pyongyang government in North Korea, but did not initially establish relations with the South Korean government in Seoul.
The United States has maintained constant diplomatic relations with South Korea since 1948, with formal recognition of the Republic of Korea on 1 January 1949. The American special representative, John J. Muccio, became the first Ambassador to the Republic of Korea on March 1, 1949.
The Embassy of the United States in Seoul has jurisdiction over APP Busan.
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