Michael George DeSombre, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
According to information provided by MiddleAsianNews, Michael DeSombre, serving as the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia, plans a trip to Mongolia, South Korea, and Japan next week. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen cooperation with these countries on key issues in the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. Department of State reported on Thursday.
From Monday through March 17, the Assistant Secretary will visit Tokyo, Seoul, and Ulaanbaatar, according to an official statement from the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
The trip of U.S. President Donald Trump to Northeast Asia will coincide with his visit to China for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, expected to take place in late March or early April. This fuels speculation about a possible resumption of dialogue between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
At a recent party congress, Kim Jong Un stated that Pyongyang "has no reason to be at odds with the U.S." if Washington changes its policy, emphasizing that the future of U.S.-North Korean relations "depends on the position of the U.S.," according to North Korean state media.
Michael George DeSombre, born in 1968, serves as the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Previously, he was the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand. Before and during his appointment to government positions, he worked as a partner at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell and headed the Save the Children organization in Hong Kong.
DeSombre's nomination for the position of Assistant Secretary of State was put forward by Trump on March 10, 2025. The Senate confirmed his appointment on October 7, 2025, with a vote of 51 to 47. He was sworn in on October 10, 2025.
Michael DeSombre was born in Chicago, Illinois, and holds a bachelor's degree in quantitative economics and a master's degree in East Asian studies from Stanford. In 1995, he graduated with honors from Harvard Law School.
Before taking up his post in Bangkok in 2020, DeSombre lived in Hong Kong for two decades. He is fluent in Mandarin and also speaks Korean and Japanese. DeSombre is actively involved in community life and is a fan of the U.S. rugby team. He is married and has four children.
