DATE=7/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235143
TITLE=S. KOREA / RUSSIA DIPLOMAT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JENNIFER VEALE
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOUTH KOREA DECIDED ON WEDNESDAY TO EXPEL A RUSSIAN
DIPLOMAT, APPARENTLY IN RETALIATION FOR MOSCOW'S EVICTION OF A
SOUTH KOREAN DIPLOMAT LAST WEEKEND. JENNIFER VEALE HAS DETAILS
FROM SEOUL.
TEXT: IN WHAT IS BEING VIEWED AS A TIT-FOR-TAT EXPULSION, SOUTH
KOREA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY THAT THE RUSSIAN
DIPLOMAT, OLEG ABRAMKIM, MUST LEAVE THE COUNTRY IN 72 HOURS.
THE DECISION CAME ONLY ONE DAY AFTER A SOUTH KOREAN DIPLOMAT WHO
WAS ACCUSED OF ESPIONAGE BY RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES RETURNED TO
SEOUL.
THE DIPLOMATIC DISPUTE ERUPTED WHEN RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES ACCUSED
CHO SUNG-WOO, A POLITICAL COUNSELOR AT THE SOUTH KOREAN EMBASSY,
OF SPYING IN MOSCOW. HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED AT THE HOME OF A
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL.
MR. CHO ARRIVED BACK IN SOUTH KOREA ON TUESDAY, WHERE HE
IMMEDIATELY DENIED THE SPYING ALLEGATIONS..
SEOUL HAS PROTESTED TO MOSCOW THAT IT WAS NOT CONSULTED BEFORE
THE ARREST SATURDAY OF THE SOUTH KOREAN DIPLOMAT, WHO SAYS HE WAS
INTERROGATED FOR TWO HOURS.
IN EXPELLING MR. ABRAMKIN, SOUTH KOREA DECLARED THE RUSSIAN
PERSONA NON GRATA, ACCUSING HIM OF ENGAGING IN ACTIVITIES UNFIT
FOR A DIPLOMAT SINCE SEPTEMBER 1994.
THE INCIDENT IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN TIES BETWEEN THE TWO
COUNTRIES, WHICH WERE NORMALIZED ONLY IN 1990, IN THE AFTERMATH
OF THE BREAK-UP OF THE SOVIET UNION. (SIGNED)
NEB/JV/FC/WTW
08-Jul-98 6:32 AM EDT (1032 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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