Nomination of James Roderick Lilley To Be United States Ambassador to the Republic of Korea

The President today announced his intention to nominate James Roderick Lilley, of Maryland, as Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. He succeeds Richard L. Walker.

Mr. Lilley was with the Central Intelligence Agency from 1951 to 1978. He served as an officer in the following countries between 1951 and 1964: Japan, Taiwan, Manila, Phnom Penh, and Thailand. He became deputy chief of station in Laos in 1965 and in Hong Kong, 1968-1970. Mr. Lilley was named chief of station in Peking from 1973 to 1975. He returned to Washington in 1975 as national intelligence officer for China. In 1978 Mr. Lilley became a consultant for Hunt Oil Co. in Dallas, TX; adjunct professor of economics (China) at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, and a consultant for United Technologies in Hartford, CT. He served on the National Security Council staff from February through November 1981. He was director of the American Institute in Taiwan, Taipei, 1982-1984. From 1984 to 1985, he was a consultant for Otis Elevator Co. in Farmington, CT, and a consultant at the Department of Defense/International Security Agency. Since 1984 he has been employed with the Department of State as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Mr. Lilley graduated from Yale University (B.A., 1951) and George Washington University (M.A., 1972). Mr. Lilley served in the United States Army, 1946-1947, and in the United States Air Force, 1951-1954. He is married and has three children. Mr. Lilley was born January 15, 1928, in Tsingtao, China.