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"Ambassador's Dialogue on Korea," Belfer Center Directors' Lunch with Alexander Vershbow, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea
The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is proud to host a Directors’ Lunch on “Ambassador’s Dialogue on Korea” with Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. Ambassador Vershbow will be delivering the second talk in the 2006 KEI-BCSIA Speakers Series on Korean Security Issues.
Alexander Vershbow was sworn in as Ambassador to the Republic of Korea on October 14, 2005 and took up his duties on October 17, 2005. He is a career member of the Foreign Service, and has extensive experience in East-West relations, non-proliferation and European security affairs.
Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Vershbow served as U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation. During his tenure, the Ambassador worked to promote U.S.-Russian cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation, and to expand the agenda to encompass new challenges such as HIV/AIDS. He was a consistent advocate for the causes of democracy, human rights and rule of law in Russia, and received the American Bar Association’s 2004 Ambassador’s Award for these efforts.
Ambassador Vershbow served as the U.S. Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As U.S. Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council, Ambassador Vershbow was centrally involved in transforming NATO to meet post-Cold War challenges, including the admission of new members and the development of relations with Russia.
During his long career as a Foreign Service Officer, Ambassador Vershbow has served in many other capacities from Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council to postings in Moscow and London, and as Advisor to the U.S. Delegation to the Strategic Arms Reductions Talks in Geneva.
Ambassador Vershbow is a long-time student of Russian Affairs and international relations. He received a B.A. in Russian and East European Studies from Yale College (1974) and a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Certificate of the Russian Institute from Columbia University (1976).