The United States ambassador to South Korea (Korean: 주한미국대사; Hanja: 駐韓美國大使) is the chief diplomatic representative of the United States accredited to the Republic of Korea.

After the Japanese had defeated the Chinese in 1895, and the Russians in 1905, Korea began to see its independence disappear.

At the end of World War II, U.S. forces accepted Japan's surrender in southern Korea, and Soviet forces accepted the surrender of the Japanese in northern Korea.

The United States established diplomatic relations with the new South Korean government, but did not recognize North Korea.

The American special representative, John J. Muccio, became the first Ambassador to the Republic of Korea on March 1, 1949.