Julie J. Chung

Julie J. Chung (Korean: 줄리 정), birth name as Chung Ji-yoon (Korean: 정지윤),[1][2] is a Korean American diplomat and Acting Assistant Secretary for the United States Department of State's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA),[3] having previously served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary). Spending her first overseas assignment in Guangzhou, China, Chung has later served in several posts in Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Colombia and Iraq.[4]

Julie J. Chung
Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office January 20, 2021
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Michael Kozak
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 2018
Deputy Chief of Mission, United States Embassy Phnom Penh
In office 2014–2017
Personal details
Born	Seoul, South Korea
Nationality	United States
Education	University of California, San Diego (B.A.) Columbia University (M.A.)
Korean name
Hangul	정지윤
Revised Romanization	Jeong Ji-yun
McCune–Reischauer	Chŏng Chi-yun

Early life and family

Born in Seoul, South Korea,[5][6] Chung immigrated to California with her family in 1977 at the age of 5. Her 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.[1][6][2] As a native of Huntington Beach, California, Julie Chung received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego and an M.A. in International Affairs from the Columbia University.[4] She has learnt Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese,[7] Khmer, Spanish[4] and Thai.[8]

Career

After joining the Foreign Service in 1996, Chung's first overseas post is a consular officer at the United States Consulate General Guangzhou. 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,[7] 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.[4]

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).[9] and served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary from February–September 2018. Since November 2018, she assumed the position of Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.[4]

References

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. "Julie J. Chung, ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY BUREAU OF WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS". www.state.gov. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
4. "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.
5. "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.
6. "The Making of a Real American Diplomat". American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). Archived from the original on 2020-11-25.
7. "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: Julie Chung". Bureau of Public Affairs. 2005-05-03. Archived from the original on 2017-05-21.
8. "Deputy Chief of Mission Julie Chung". U.S. Embassy in Cambodia. Archived from the original on 2017-07-08.
9. "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.