DATE=8/4/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-236472
TITLE=SOUTH KOREA / FOREIGN MINISTER (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:  SOUTH KOREAN FOREIGN MINISTER PARK CHUNG-SOO RESIGNED ON 
TUESDAY, AMID MOUNTING CRITICISM OF HIS HANDLING OF A DIPLOMATIC 
QUARREL WITH RUSSIA.  JOHN LARKIN REPORTS FROM SEOUL, THE 
MINISTER EXPRESSED SORROW OVER A DISPUTE THAT HAS SOURED 
BILATERAL TIES.

TEXT:  PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG ACCEPTED MR. PARK'S RESIGNATION, 
WHICH OFFICIALS INSIST WAS GIVEN VOLUNTARILY.  NEWS REPORTS, 
HOWEVER, SAY THE RESIGNATION WAS MERELY A FACE-SAVING FORMALITY, 
AND MR. PARK EFFECTIVELY WAS DISMISSED.

HIS REPLACEMENT IS HONG SOON-YOUNG, A CAREER DIPLOMAT WHO SERVED 
AS AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW BEFORE BEING APPOINTED VICE FOREIGN 
MINISTER.   

MR. PARK CAME UNDER HEAVY FIRE IN LATE JULY, OVER A DISPUTE WITH 
RUSSIA WHICH SAW THE TIT-FOR-TAT EXPULSIONS OF TWO DIPLOMATS 
ACCUSED OF SPYING. 

IN EARLY JULY, RUSSIA DEPORTED A DIPLOMAT AT SOUTH KOREA'S MOSOW 
EMBASSY.  RUSSIAN POLICE SAY THEY CAUGHT HIM RED-HANDED RECEIVING
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION FROM HIS CONTACT -- ALLEGED TO BE A 
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL.

DAYS LATER, SOUTH KOREA RETALIATED BY EXPELLING DIPLOMAT OLEG 
ABRAMKIN FROM RUSSIA'S EMBASSY IN SEOUL, ACCUSING HIM OF 
ESPIONAGE. 

THE DISPUTE WORSENED LAST WEEK WHEN RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER, 
YEVGENY PRIMAKOV, ANNOUNCED MR. PARK HAD AGREED, DURING TALKS IN 
MANILA, TO TEMPORARILY ALLOW MR. ABRAMKIN TO RE-ENTER SOUTH 
KOREA.

SEOUL OFFICIALS HURRIEDLY DENIED THE CLAIM, SAYING THE DIPLOMAT 
HAD BEEN DECLARED PERSONA  NON  GRATA AND THEREFORE COULD  NOT  
RETURN.

THE CONFUSION FUELED CRITICISM -- LED BY KOREAN MEDIA AND 
OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS -- OF FOREIGN MINISTER PARK'S ABILITY TO 
DEFUSE THE CRISIS, AND ULTIMATELY FORCED HIS RESIGNATION.   
(SIGNED)

NEB/JL/GC/FC/WTW

04-Aug-98 6:28 AM EDT (1028 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.