DATE=7/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235526
TITLE=SOUTH KOREA / DIPLOMAT EXPULSION (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  A RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT HAS LEFT SOUTH KOREA AFTER BEING 
ACCUSED BY SEOUL OF ESPIONAGE. JOHN LARKIN REPORTS FROM SEOUL 
THAT THE EXPULSION IS THE  LATEST EPISODE IN AN ESCALATING 
DIPLOMATIC DISPUTE BETWEEN THE TWO  COUNTRIES.

TEXT:  OLEG ABRAMKIN, A POLITICAL COUNSELOR AT RUSSIA'S EMBASSY 
IN  SEOUL, LEFT THE COUNTRY ON FRIDAY THREE DAYS AFTER BEING 
DECLARED  PERSONA NON GRATA.

HIS EXPULSION WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE EJECTION FROM MOSCOW LAST 
WEEKEND  OF A SOUTH KOREAN DIPLOMAT, CHO SUNG-WOO.  MR. CHO WAS 
ALSO ACCUSED OF SPYING  AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED IN THE COMPANY OF A
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY  OFFICIAL WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY HIS CONTACT.

WHILE SEOUL IS PLAYING DOWN THE INCIDENT AS A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO  
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES, THE TIT-FOR-TAT EXPULSIONS HAVE PUT A 
CLOUD OVER RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

THURSDAY, RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY HINTED AT FURTHER 
RETALIATION. IT  WARNED SEOUL'S COUNTER-EXPULSION COULD FURTHER 
ESCALATE TENSIONS,  DESCRIBING THE EJECTION OF MR. ABRAMKIN AS 
ABSOLUTELY INADEQUATE.

ON FRIDAY, SOUTH KOREAN NEWSPAPERS REPORTED SEOUL IS READY TO 
EXPEL ANOTHER DIPLOMAT  IF RUSSIA CHOOSES TO RETALIATE FURTHER. 

ALSO FRIDAY, SOUTH KOREA'S VICE FOREIGN MINISTER, SUN JOUN-YUNG, 
CANCELLED A PLANNED TRIP TO POLAND AND FRANCE TO ORCHESTRATE 
TALKS ON  HOW TO REPAIR STRAINED RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA.

FOREIGN MINISTER PARK CHUNG-SOO IS AWAY ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS, BUT
WILL  MEET WITH HIS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART YEVGENI PRIMAKOV AT THE  
REGIONAL  FORUM OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IN 
MANILA LATER THIS MONTH.

THE DISPUTE IS THE FIRST TIME RUSSIA AND SOUTH KOREA HAVE CLASHED
SINCE THEY NORMALIZED DIPLOMATIC TIES IN 1990.  A VISIT TO SEOUL 
LAST YEAR BY MR.  PRIMAKOV LED TO A FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IN 
RELATIONS.  (SIGNED)

NEB/JL/FC

10-Jul-98 6:13 AM EDT (1013 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.