On Monday September 14, KEI hosted Ambassador Kathleen Stephens for a moderated discussion on the status and development of the U.S.-ROK relationship. The event was held as part of KEI's annual Ambassador's Dialogue tour featuring both Ambassador Stephens and Ambassador Han Duck-Soo in five cities across the United States, however Ambassador Stephens spoke alone at the KEI event, during her 1-day stopover in Washington. It was her first speaking appearance in the city since having been confirmed as Ambassador to the ROK.

Moderated with questions from KEI president Jack Pritchard in front of a full house, Ambassador Stephens discussed U.S.-Korea economic relations, people-to-people programs, issues pertaining to U.S. military presence in Korea, Green Korea, and U.S.-ROK cooperation on North Korea policy.

To watch the complete video of this program, please click below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kathleen Stephens is the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. Ambassador Stephens entered the Foreign Service in 1978 after service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chung-nam, Korea from 1975 until 1977. Her recent diplomatic assignments have included tours in Washington as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of European Affairs, where her portfolio focused on post-conflict issues in the Balkans, including Kosovo's future status. Ms. Stephens also served at the National Security Council as Director for European Affairs and as Principal Officer in Belfast, Northern Ireland during the negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement. She has served as deputy chief of mission, principal officer, and political officer in a number of posts including Seoul, Busan, Belgrade, and Lisbon. She holds a B.A. in East Asian studies from Prescott College and a graduate degree from Harvard University. She is fluent in Korean and Serbo-Croatian, with a working knowledge of Cantonese and Mandarin.