Gov`t to open mission in East Timor

The government is considering setting up a diplomatic mission in East Timor in the first half of the year. Officials have already started looking for a building and selecting workers to staff the mission. Officials here said Monday that East Timor is seeking to declare independence within the year and that the Seoul government saw it as desirable to open a mission to support East Timor`s commitment to democracy and market economy.

At present, 10 countries including the United States, Japan, China, Australia and Indonesia operate missions there in the form of liaison offices. South Korea is likely to become the 11th nation to set up a mission. The planned mission would be responsible for maintaining ties with the United Nations Temporary Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) and the National Council of the Timorese Resistance in order to protect and support Korean residents and businesses in East Timor. Since 1999, Korea has stationed 432 members of the Sanroksu Army Unit in the war-torn territory as part of the U.N. peacekeeping force.

Ha Tae-Won scooop@donga.com