JAKARTA – Sung Kim, the new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia, presented his letter of credential to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo today at Istana Merdeka in Jakarta.
“The United States and Indonesia have a strong relationship, and I look forward to a future of even more progress. I hope to work to the benefit of the Indonesian and American peoples, and to get to know this beautiful country,” said Ambassador Kim.
Ambassador Sung Kim arrived in Jakarta on October 4, 2020, and completed a 14-day quarantine.
Ambassador Sung Kim was nominated to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia on October 16, 2019 and confirmed by the full Senate on August 6, 2020.
Ambassador Sung Kim most recently served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines from November 2016 until October 2020. From 2011 to 2014, he was the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. In between the two ambassadorships, Ambassador Kim served as Special Representative for North Korea Policy in Washington, D.C.
Earlier, Ambassador Kim also served as the Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks with the rank of Ambassador. His previous overseas diplomatic assignments have included Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he worked as a prosecutor in Los Angeles, California.
Ambassador Kim was born in Seoul, Korea, and grew up in Los Angeles. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed a degree in law from Loyola University. He also holds a Master of Laws degree from the London School of Economics and an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Korea. Ambassador Kim is married and has two daughters.
