By: Isuru Parakrama
January 07, Colombo (LNW): The United States Embassy in Colombo has confirmed that Ambassador Julie Chung will leave Sri Lanka on January 16, bringing her assignment in the country to a close.
Her departure marks the end of a nearly four-year period as Washington’s senior diplomatic representative in Sri Lanka, a tenure widely regarded as both active and influential.
Since assuming office in February 2022, Ambassador Chung has been at the forefront of efforts to deepen relations between Sri Lanka and the United States, with particular emphasis on democratic governance, economic resilience and the protection of human rights.
In a statement issued by the Embassy, it was underscored that the United States remains firmly committed to its partnership with Sri Lanka. The Embassy noted that it would continue to engage closely with the Sri Lankan government and its people, building upon the strong platform established during Ambassador Chung’s time in Colombo.
Reflecting on her service, Ambassador Chung expressed warm sentiments about her posting, saying she had “cherished every moment” spent in Sri Lanka.
Before Joining Colombo
A seasoned diplomat, Ambassador Chung is a career member of the US Senior Foreign Service and holds the rank of Career Minister. Before arriving in Colombo, she served as Acting Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the US Department of State.
Her diplomatic career spans extensive experience across both the Indo-Pacific and Western Hemisphere regions. Within the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, she previously held roles as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Japan, Deputy Chief of Mission in Cambodia, and Economic Counsellor in Thailand. Her overseas assignments have also included postings at US embassies in Iraq, Colombia, Vietnam and Japan, as well as at the US Consulate General in Guangzhou, China.
In Washington, she worked in the Office of Korean Affairs, where she served as an adviser on the Agreed Framework for Nonviolent Negotiations with North Korea.
Born in Korea, Ambassador Chung emigrated to the United States as a child and was raised in Huntington Beach, California. She holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University. She joined the US Foreign Service in 1996.
Over the course of her career, Ambassador Chung has received numerous honours, including the Presidential Citation Award and the Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award. She is fluent in Korean, Japanese and Spanish.
As she prepares to depart Sri Lanka, the Embassy’s statement and her own reflections signal a closing chapter marked by sustained engagement and a lasting diplomatic imprint on US–Sri Lanka relations.
