British Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Incumbent
David Ellis
StyleHis Excellency
ResidenceMunsu-Dong Compound, Pyongyang
Inaugural holderJames Hoare (Chargé d'affaires)
Formation2001
WebsiteBritish Embassy Pyongyang

The British ambassador to North Korea is head of the United Kingdom's diplomatic mission to North Korea. The official title is His Britannic Majesty's Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).[1] The current ambassador is Dr David Ellis, who has held the role since December 2021.

History

Under the Imperial Chinese tributary system, Korea was a tributary state to China. After the United Kingdom–Korea Treaty of 1883 British Ministers to China were appointed as "Her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the Emperor of China, and also Her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the King of Corea." Britain also appointed consul-generals to be resident in Seoul, but they were not heads of mission, as the head of mission was the minister in Peking (now Beijing). In 1898, following the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–95), the Korean Empire became independent of China, and Britain appointed a chargé d'affaires who became Minister Resident when the United Kingdom and Korea exchanged envoys in 1901.

Consul-General in Seoul

Head of mission to Korea

Minister to China, non-resident Minister to Korea

Chargé d'affaires

Minister Resident

Under the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905 Korea became a protectorate of Japan, and Britain and other countries withdrew diplomatic missions from Seoul. After World War II Japan's rule ended and Korea was occupied by the Soviet Union and United States, resulting in division of Korea between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea).

Head of mission to North Korea

After Britain and North Korea re-established diplomatic relations in 2000, James Hoare was appointed British Chargé d'affaires in Pyongyang; and his work laid the foundation for the establishment of a full embassy in the North Korean capital.[11]

The British Embassy in Pyongyang opened in July 2001. David Slinn was the first British Ambassador; he arrived in Pyongyang in November 2002.[12]

Chargé d'affaires in North Korea

Ambassador to North Korea

Name Tenure
begins 		Tenure
ends 		British monarch Supreme leader
David Slinn  2002  2006 Elizabeth II Kim Jong-il
John Everard[13]  2006  2008
Peter Hughes[14]  2008  2011
Karen Wolstenholme[14]  2011  2012 Kim Jong-un
Michael Gifford[15]  2012  2015
Alastair Morgan[16]  2015  2018
Colin Crooks[17]  2018  2022
David Ellis[18]  2022
Charles III

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Gowman, Philip. "Three ambassadors—or maybe four? Korea Update with the Anglo-Korean Society," London-Korea links. 18 June 2010; Anglo-Korean Society event, 8 July 2010.
  2. ^ Kornicki, Peter (2008). "Aston, Cambridge and Korea". Cambridge University, Department of East Asian Studies. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  3. ^ Addison, Henry Robert. (1901). Who's Who Vol. 53, p. 568, p. 568, at Google Books; compare Note 12
  4. ^ Kit-ching Chan Lau, Anglo-Chinese Diplomacy 1906–1920: In the Careers of Sir John Jordan and Yuan Shih-kai, Hong Kong University Press, 1978
  5. ^ "No. 25326". The London Gazette. 7 March 1884. p. 1133.
  6. ^ "No. 25539". The London Gazette. 15 December 1885. p. 6066.
  7. ^ "No. 26281". The London Gazette. 22 April 1892. p. 2360.
  8. ^ "No. 26706". The London Gazette. 4 February 1896. p. 645.
  9. ^ "No. 26952". The London Gazette. 29 March 1898. p. 2021.
  10. ^ "No. 27344". The London Gazette. 9 August 1901. p. 5256.
  11. ^ Kyodo News International, "Britain appoints James Hoare as N. Korea charge," BNET. 5 February 2001.
  12. ^ Foreign& Commonwealth Office (FCO); Korea, DPR (North Korea), Diplomatic representation Archived 25 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Stanford University, Korean Studies, Everard bio Archived 20 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ a b "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" Archived 8 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine – Foreign & Commonwealth Office press release, 27 September 2010
  15. ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" Archived 7 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine – Foreign & Commonwealth Office press release, 25 June 2012
  16. ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". GOV.UK. Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  17. ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in December 2018". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 5 July 2018.
  18. ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in December 2021". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2022.

References

External links


Heads of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom
Categories