Alexander Vershbow

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Alexander Vershbow in 2005.

Alexander Vershbow (born in Boston, Massachusetts) is the United States Ambassador to South Korea; he was appointed to the position in October 2005. Before that post he had been the ambassador to the Russian Federation from 2001 to 2005[1] and the ambassador to NATO from 1998 to 2001. For his work with NATO he was awarded the State Department's Distinguished Service Award.

Early in his tenure as ambassador to South Korea he has generated controversy by continuing the hard line on North Korea begun by his predecessor Christopher Hill. He has pressed North Korea on the issues of human rights and superdollars, calling the government a "criminal regime"[2], and called on them to return to the Six-Party Talks [3]. The South Korean government has asked him to tone down his rhetoric, in accordance with their Sunshine Policy, and one lawmaker even tried to have him expelled from the country.[4][5] In January 2006 his attempt to meet with the Korea Internet Journalists' Association, which describes itself as 'progressive', was blocked by protestors from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.[6]

Together with Christopher Hill, who is now the US envoy to South Korea, Vershbow has also pioneered a strategy of speaking directly to the Korean people through the internet and by actually appearing and speaking at street rallies.[7]

Vershbow recently spoke out in favour of the expansion of the US base at Pyeongtaek. Local people have demonstrated in great numbers against this expansion, although Vershbow claims that they are "out of step" with the sentiments of most residents of the area.

Lee Seong-rip, a protester and staffer for the Democratic Labor Party said about the protests:

"We were crushed and trampled by the South Korean military — all for the sake of America...It is a very dark day for Korea."