Hill joined the State Department in 1977. Hill served as Secretary for Economic Affairs at the
Embassy of the United States in Seoul from 1983 to 1985.
Bosnia peace settlement Hill was part of the team that negotiated the Bosnia peace settlement. On July 14, 2007, North Korea informed Hill that they had shut down the nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and admitted an international inspection team. On September 3, 2007
The New York Times reported that Hill met in Geneva for two days of one-on-one negotiations with
Kim Kye-gwan, who heads the North Korean negotiating team, and that North Korea had agreed to disable its main nuclear fuel production plant by the end of 2007 and to account for all of its nuclear programs to international monitors. On December 20, 2007, the Korea Times reported that
Kathleen Stephens, adviser to Hill at the State Department in the office of East Asia and Pacific Affairs, had been appointed as the next ambassador to South Korea. On January 8, 2008
The New York Times reported that North Korea had missed a deadline to submit an inventory of its nuclear arms programs and that Hill said that failure to meet a deadline should be confronted with patience and perseverance. On February 7, 2008, Hill told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that talks with North Korea are at a "critical, challenging" point. On March 2, 2008, Hill said in an interview in Beijing that US diplomatic relations with Korea were possible before the end of the Bush administration if Korea completely dismantled its nuclear program. On April 11, 2008
The Washington Post reported that a tentative deal has been reached with North Korea concerning a range of nuclear activities and the lifting of
sanctions against North Korea.
US relationship with China Although Hill is not well known in the United States, he has become a celebrity in China as chief envoy in talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Part of the reason is that during negotiations Hill speaks every morning and evening to the media and has an easygoing manner, while his North Korean counterpart,
Kim Kye Gwan, gives only occasional media access. Hill says that China has been an active participant in the six-party talks.
Tenure in Iraq US President
Barack Obama nominated Christopher Hill for the post of
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq on March 11, 2009. After having faced opposition from Republican Senators such as
Sam Brownback,
John McCain, and
Lindsey Graham, Hill was approved on April 20 to be the U.S. ambassador to Iraq by the Senate with 73 votes for, and 23 against. Hill extended his tenure in Iraq, totaling 16 months, postponing his own retirement from a career in diplomacy. While there, he was charged with reaching an agreement about the formation of an Iraqi-run government. Unfortunately, Hill couldn't break the months-long stalemate and called Iraq his most formidable challenge.
Tenure in Serbia President
Joe Biden announced Hill as his nominee to be the
U.S. Ambassador to Serbia on October 14, 2021, and his nomination was sent to the
Senate on October 28. Hearings on his nomination were held before the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee on December 14, 2021. The committee favorably reported his nomination on January 12, 2022. On March 10, 2022, he was confirmed by the Senate by
voice vote. He presented his credentials to
President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic on March 31, 2022. ==Awards and honors==