# List of United States Special Representatives for North Korea

The United States Special Representative for The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the top US State Department official who represents the United States' interests with respect to North Korea in a diplomatic context. North Korea and the United States have no formal diplomatic relations. (See North Korea–United States relations.) Sweden acts as the protecting power of United States interests in North Korea for consular matters.

## History

Jay Lefkowitz was President George W. Bush's Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea.
Robert R. King served as Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues from November 2009 to January 2017.
Stephen W. Bosworth served as special envoy to North Korea from 2009 to 2011, under President Obama. He had previously been an ambassador to several countries, including to South Korea from 1997 to 2001.
Glyn Davies served as the Special Representative for North Korea Policy from January 2012-November 2014.
Sung Kim served as the Special Representative for North Korea Policy from November 2014-September 2016 and as Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks from 2008-2011.
Joseph Y. Yun served as the Special Representative for North Korea Policy October 17, 2016 – March 2, 2018.
Stephen Biegun was appointed by Secretary Mike Pompeo and served from 2018–2021.

## Current office holders

President Joe Biden announced on May 21, 2021 that Sung Kim will serve as the U.S. special envoy for North Korea.

## List of Special Representatives

| No. | Special Representatives | Term start | Term end | US President | NK Supreme Leader |
| 1 | Stephen W. Bosworth | February 20, 2009 | October 26, 2011 | Barack Obama | Kim Jong-il |
| 2 | Glyn T. Davies | October 26, 2011 | November 6, 2014 | Barack Obama | Kim Jong-il |
| 2 | Glyn T. Davies | October 26, 2011 | November 6, 2014 | Barack Obama | Kim Jong-un |
| 3 | Sung Kim | November 6, 2014 | November 3, 2016 | Barack Obama | Kim Jong-un |
| 4 | Joseph Y. Yun | October 17, 2016 | March 2, 2018 | Barack Obama | Kim Jong-un |
| 4 | Joseph Y. Yun | October 17, 2016 | March 2, 2018 | Donald Trump | Kim Jong-un |
| 5 | Stephen Biegun | August 23, 2018 | January 20, 2021 | Donald Trump | Kim Jong-un |
| 6 | Sung Kim | May 21, 2021 | November 21, 2023 | Joe Biden | Kim Jong-un |
| 7 | Jung H. Pak | November 21, 2023 | July 5, 2024 | Joe Biden | Kim Jong-un |

## List of Special Envoys on North Korean Human Rights Issues

| No. | Special Envoys | Term start | Term end | US President | NK Supreme Leader |
| 1 | Jay Lefkowitz | August 19, 2005 | January 2009 | George W. Bush | Kim Jong-il |
| 2 | Robert R. King | November 24, 2009 | January 12, 2017 | Barack Obama | Kim Jong-il Kim Jong-un |
| 3 | Julie Turner | October 13, 2023 | Incumbent | Joe Biden | Kim Jong-un |

## List of Special Envoys for the Six-Party Talks

| Special Envoys | Term start | Term end | US President | NK Supreme Leader |
| Jack Pritchard | April 2001 | September 2003 | George W. Bush | Kim Jong-il |
| James A. Kelly | September 2003 | January 2005 | George W. Bush | Kim Jong-il |
| Christopher R. Hill | February 14, 2005 | 2008 | George W. Bush Barack Obama | Kim Jong-il |
| Sung Kim | July 31, 2008 | October 13, 2011 | Barack Obama | Kim Jong-il |
| Clifford Hart | October 31, 2011 | July 23, 2013 | Barack Obama | Kim Jong-il Kim Jong-un |
| Sydney Seiler | September 2, 2014 | 2015 | Barack Obama | Kim Jong-un |