Mongolia ambassador resigns over scandal
As the sex scandal involving South Korean diplomats and a Chinese woman expanded Thursday, it was reported that an ambassador to Mongolia resigned after having an extramarital affair with a Mongolian woman.
The former ambassador, who served in Mongolia from 2006 through 2009, had an inappropriate relationship with a college student there and fathered a child, according to a local news report. She reportedly asked for child support.
But when the ambassador returned home, she filed a complaint to the South Korean embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The ambassador allegedly said he was threatened and the woman asked for an exorbitant sum in child support, the report said.
Worrying that the incident could harm South Korea’s bilateral relationship with Mongolia, the foreign ministry reportedly wrapped up the case with the ambassador’s resignation.
The foreign ministry has been at one of its lowest points since last year. Former Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan had to step down in September when it was found that the ministry gave preferential treatment in hiring his daughter. The ministry then vowed to reform including its recruitment policy.
But recently, the ministry was grilled when lawmakers discovered errors in the translation of the free trade accord between South Korea and the European Union. Then this week, the sex scandal involving a Chinese woman and several South Korean diplomats broke, further embarrassing the nation’s diplomatic corps.
Critics say Lee’s tendency to offer consulships as a reward to his aides is to blame for the mistakes that inexperienced politician-turned-diplomats make. They include Lee’s political appointment of Kim Jeong-kee, the former consul general of Shanghai, and the appointments of Kim Jae-su and Lee Ha-ryong, as consuls general in Los Angeles and Seattle, respectively.
He attempted to nominate a Korean-American who had helped in his election campaign as consul in Atlanta, but he had to withdraw the plan in the face of mounting public criticism
“The problem stems from (Lee’s insistence) to do favors for those who worked for him at the Grand National Party (GNP),” said Rep. Park Sun-young of the minor opposition Liberty Forward Party.
Choi Jong-kun, a political professor at Yonsei University, says it was wrong for the President to appoint Kim as he was inexperienced and unable to handle delicate diplomatic issues.
“It is not absolutely necessary to fill overseas missions with career diplomats,” Choi said. “But it is important to hire someone with professional diplomatic skills.”
leeth@koreatimes.co.kr
The former ambassador, who served in Mongolia from 2006 through 2009, had an inappropriate relationship with a college student there and fathered a child, according to a local news report. She reportedly asked for child support.
But when the ambassador returned home, she filed a complaint to the South Korean embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The ambassador allegedly said he was threatened and the woman asked for an exorbitant sum in child support, the report said.
Worrying that the incident could harm South Korea’s bilateral relationship with Mongolia, the foreign ministry reportedly wrapped up the case with the ambassador’s resignation.
The foreign ministry has been at one of its lowest points since last year. Former Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan had to step down in September when it was found that the ministry gave preferential treatment in hiring his daughter. The ministry then vowed to reform including its recruitment policy.
But recently, the ministry was grilled when lawmakers discovered errors in the translation of the free trade accord between South Korea and the European Union. Then this week, the sex scandal involving a Chinese woman and several South Korean diplomats broke, further embarrassing the nation’s diplomatic corps.
Critics say Lee’s tendency to offer consulships as a reward to his aides is to blame for the mistakes that inexperienced politician-turned-diplomats make. They include Lee’s political appointment of Kim Jeong-kee, the former consul general of Shanghai, and the appointments of Kim Jae-su and Lee Ha-ryong, as consuls general in Los Angeles and Seattle, respectively.
He attempted to nominate a Korean-American who had helped in his election campaign as consul in Atlanta, but he had to withdraw the plan in the face of mounting public criticism
“The problem stems from (Lee’s insistence) to do favors for those who worked for him at the Grand National Party (GNP),” said Rep. Park Sun-young of the minor opposition Liberty Forward Party.
Choi Jong-kun, a political professor at Yonsei University, says it was wrong for the President to appoint Kim as he was inexperienced and unable to handle delicate diplomatic issues.
“It is not absolutely necessary to fill overseas missions with career diplomats,” Choi said. “But it is important to hire someone with professional diplomatic skills.”
leeth@koreatimes.co.kr
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