Supporters renew bid for Seoul visit by Dalai Lama

An association of Korean supporters of the Dalai Lama is to renew efforts to facilitate a trip to Seoul this year by the Tibetan spiritual leader. It failed to bring the Dalai Lama here last year. The group announced at the office of the Laymen`s League of Participatory Buddhism in Seoul Monday that it would restart its campaign to have the government authorize a visit.

``The Dalai Lama once more graciously accepted our invitation, despite undue interference with his planned visit here that had no parallel anywhere else,`` said a representative of the Committee to Prepare for the Dalai Lama`s Visit to Korea. The group urged the Seoul government to permit his trip and called on China not to ``infringe upon Korea`s cultural sovereignty.``

Committee representative and Sogang University Professor Park Kwang-Suh was optimistic about prospects for approval. ``It seems quite possible for the Dalai Lama to come here because the government, which refused him a visa last year, indicated its readiness to reconsider the application for entry this year,`` he said.

Song Pyoung-In pisong@donga.com