[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 17, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E869-E870]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING MS. YURI KIM ON HER RETIREMENT
______
HON. JAMES C. MOYLAN
of guam
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Mr. MOYLAN. Mr. Speaker, it is with great joy and deep admiration
that I congratulate Ms. Yuri Kim on her retirement, after 29 incredible
years of service as a U.S. diplomat.
Today is a day of celebration, but also one of reflection. As we look
back, we honor not just the impressive milestones in her career, but
the impact she has made on the lives of so many through her leadership
and guidance in the direction of U.S. foreign policy.
Ms. Kim is a proud daughter of Guam. She began her journey at the
Academy of Our Lady, then went on to earn her degree at the University
of Pennsylvania, followed by a master's from Cambridge University. Her
roots in Guam remained a strong part of her identity throughout a
career that took her around the world.
Over nearly three decades, she wore many hats that shaped her vision
of the future of our country. She was a champion for energy, defense,
technology, and infrastructure. Early on, she showed herself to be a
force of nature, leading critical work in the Political Section of the
U.S. Embassy in Seoul, heading the DPRK Unit in the Office of Korean
Affairs, and serving in key roles across the U.S. embassies in Turkey,
Iraq, Japan, and China.
She served as Special Assistant to Secretary Colin Powell and played
a central role in the Six-Party Talks aimed at ending North Korea's
nuclear weapons program. Her work continued at the highest levels,
becoming Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of State and later
Director of the Office of European Security and Political-Military
Affairs, where she helped shape U.S. policy toward NATO and the OSCE.
In 2019, she was nominated under President Trump to serve as the U.S.
Ambassador to Albania, where she continued her service under President
Biden. During this time, she deepened our existing partnership by
advancing shared interests and encouraging economic growth.
[[Page E870]]
Most recently, she served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, helping navigate some of
the most complex challenges in today's global landscape.
Through all of this, what stands out most is not just her
accomplishments, but her character. Ms. Kim has led with integrity,
courage, and heart. She's been a mentor, a role model, and a steadfast
public servant who gave her all, every single day.
Her legacy will not only be seen in policy or diplomacy, but in the
people she inspired and the bridges she built. She's helped shape the
world we live in, and we are all better for it.
We thank and celebrate Ms. Kim, and we wish her nothing but happiness
and fulfillment in this next chapter of her life.
____________________