Eric G. John
Encyclopedia
Eric G. John is the former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand
, having been appointed October 22, 2007. Previously, he was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia
from 2005 to 2007. In that capacity, he coordinated policy in Washington with regard to the eleven nations in that region, as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN). He was the lead negotiator of the 2006 U.S.-ASEAN Enhanced Partnership, the chief vehicle for improving political, economic, and cultural relations between the United States and the region.
Ambassador John has served extensively throughout East Asia
. He is one of the State Department’s leading experts on Korean affairs, having served thirteen years in Seoul
, Busan
and Washington, DC working on relations with the Korean Peninsula. Ambassador John’s most recent assignment in Seoul was as the Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy.
Ambassador John also has served in Ho Chi Minh City
as the Deputy Consul General, and in Bangkok
from 1989 to 1992. He joined the Foreign Service in 1983.
Ambassador John is a native of New Castle
, Indiana
.
School of Foreign Service, and a master's degree
in National Security Studies from the National War College
.
in Brazil
as a high school exchange student with AFS Intercultural Programs
. He speaks Korean
and Vietnamese
.
, and tennis
. Sophia also is an accomplished chef and linguist. Their son, Adam, is a well-regarded singer/songwriter. Their 17-year-old daughter, Nicole, a graduate of International School Bangkok
, died August 27, 2010, after an accident in New York City where she had gone for further education.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, having been appointed October 22, 2007. Previously, he was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
from 2005 to 2007. In that capacity, he coordinated policy in Washington with regard to the eleven nations in that region, as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated ASEAN rarely ), is a geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has...
(ASEAN). He was the lead negotiator of the 2006 U.S.-ASEAN Enhanced Partnership, the chief vehicle for improving political, economic, and cultural relations between the United States and the region.
Ambassador John has served extensively throughout East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
. He is one of the State Department’s leading experts on Korean affairs, having served thirteen years in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
and Washington, DC working on relations with the Korean Peninsula. Ambassador John’s most recent assignment in Seoul was as the Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy.
Ambassador John also has served in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
as the Deputy Consul General, and in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
from 1989 to 1992. He joined the Foreign Service in 1983.
Ambassador John is a native of New Castle
New Castle, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,780 people, 7,462 households, and 4,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,987.5 people per square mile . There were 8,042 housing units at an average density of 1,351.3 per square mile...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
Education
Ambassador John earned a B.S. in Foreign Service from the Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
School of Foreign Service, and a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in National Security Studies from the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
.
Languages
Ambassador John learned Portuguese languagePortuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
as a high school exchange student with AFS Intercultural Programs
AFS Intercultural Programs
AFS Intercultural Programs was established in 1915 by A. Piatt Andrew, a onetime economics professor at Harvard University and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Treasury...
. He speaks Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
and Vietnamese
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
.
Family
Ambassador John is married to Sophia John. Ambassador and Mrs. John’s interests include visual arts, theater, music, golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
. Sophia also is an accomplished chef and linguist. Their son, Adam, is a well-regarded singer/songwriter. Their 17-year-old daughter, Nicole, a graduate of International School Bangkok
International School Bangkok
The International School of Bangkok is in the western-style community of Nichada Thani, in Nonthaburi Province.- ISB history :ISB opened in 1951. Its initial enrollment was 50 children of United Nations and U.S. diplomats. First located on Rajadamri Road, ISB expanded to provide both primary and...
, died August 27, 2010, after an accident in New York City where she had gone for further education.
External links
- Bangkok Embassy U.S. Department of State