The World…In General: Ambassador Joseph Y. Yun on North Korea Policy

The origin of diplomacy and consuls predates that of permanent ambassadors by almost two millennia. The first ambassadors set up residence in foreign countries during the late Middle Ages.  When most people think about consular matters, if they think about them at all, it’s because they are having difficulties in a foreign country or because they have to apply for a visa to travel, study, or immigrate abroad. But there is so much rich history around the key role consuls have played in international trade and diplomacy.

Join us for a lecture by Ambassador Joseph Y. Yun, Special Representative for North Korea Policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Korea and Japan in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Ambassador Yun most recently served as the United States Ambassador to Malaysia, 2013-2016. He has also served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Mr. Yun’s other overseas postings include the Republic of Korea, Thailand, France, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

Ambassador Yun joined the Foreign Service in 1985. He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor. Before joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Yun was a senior economist for Data Resources, Inc., in Lexington, Massachusetts. Ambassador Yun holds degrees from both the London School of Economics and the University of Wales.