Robert R. King served as special envoy for North Korea human rights issues at the U.S. Department of State. He was nominated by President Barack Obama, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and served in that position from November 2009 to January 2017. Ambassador King led U.S. efforts to press North Korea for progress on its human rights, U.S. humanitarian work in North Korea, and the treatment of U.S. citizens being held in the North. He represented the United States in international organizations dealing with these issues. Earlier, Dr. King was staff director of the House Foreign Affairs Committee under Chairmen Tom Lantos and Howard Berman and prior to that was a senior professional staff member of the committee (1993–2009). He was concurrently chief of staff to Representative Tom Lantos (1983–2009). In the 1970s, as a White House fellow, he was a member of the National Security Council staff working with Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski in the Jimmy Carter administration. He was also assistant director of research and senior analyst at Radio Free Europe in Munich Germany (1970–1977). Dr. King holds a Ph.D. in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a B.A. in political science from Brigham Young University. An adjunct professor, he has taught courses in international relations and U.S. foreign policy in a number of graduate and undergraduate programs. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross Order of Merit by the president of the Republic of Hungary.

Programs & Projects

Areas of Expertise

All Robert R. King Content

Filter by

1 - 10 of 52 results
Audio Briefs

Jimmy Carter’s Post-Presidency Role in U.S.-North Korea Relations

An audio version of “Jimmy Carter’s Post-Presidency Role in U.S.-North Korea Relations,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Robert R. King. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Robert R. King — January 6, 2025

Audio Briefs

The 20th Anniversary of the North Korean Human Rights Act

The North Korean Human Rights Act passed twenty years ago in 2004 provided us with useful tools to address the deplorable human rights situation in North Korea by focusing our efforts to help both those who flee the regime and those who are trapped inside the country.

Commentary by Robert R. King — October 18, 2024

"Beyond Utopia" and Human Rights in North Korea

Please join us for a special discussion on the "Beyond Utopia," a new documentary that follows various families as they attempt to flee North Korea, one of the most oppressive places on Earth, a land they grew up believing was a paradise. 

 

Event — November 2, 2023

North Korean Refugees and the Imminent Danger of Forced Repatriation from China

Amb. Robert R. King, senior adviser (non-resident) with the Korea Chair, and former Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues, U.S. Department of State testified before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China about North Korean refugees and forced repatriation from China.

Newsletter by Robert R. King — June 14, 2023