Julie Turner is an American diplomat who has served as special envoy on North Korean human rights issues in the

United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other n ...

since October 2023.

Education

Turner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from

Pepperdine University Pepperdine University () is a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. Pepperdine's main campus consists of 830 acres (340 ha) overlooking the Pacific Ocean and t ...

and a Master of Arts from the

University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...

Career

A career diplomat, Turner served in the

Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs In the United States Government, the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP, originally the Office of Chinese Affairs) is part of the United States Department of State and is charged with advising the Secretary of State and Under Secreta ...

for 16 years. She recently served as director of the Office of East Asia and the Pacific in the

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Affairs (DRL) is a bureau within the United States Department of State. The bureau is under the purview of the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. DRL's resp ...

and was director for Southeast Asia at the

United States National Security Council The United States National Security Council (NSC) is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for consideration of national security, military, and foreign policy matters. Based in the White House, it is part of the Execu ...

North Korea Envoy Nomination

On January 23, 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Turner as Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues. Hearings on her nomination were held before the

Senate Foreign Relations Committee The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the U.S. Senate charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. It is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid pro ...

on May 17, 2023. The committee favorably reported her nomination to the Senate floor on June 1, 2023. Her nomination was confirmed by the full

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

via voice vote on July 27, 2023.

References

Living people American diplomats Pepperdine University alumni University of Maryland, College Park alumni United States Department of State officials North Korea–United States relations Year of birth missing (living people) {{US-diplomat-stub