U.S. Embassy to Korea’s Press Attaché to Head Back to Washington

“They’re nationalistic, but improving,” said Maureen E. Cormack, the press attaché of the U.S. embassy to Korea at her farewell party held on July 5 at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Completing her three-year term in Korea, she is leaving for Washington on July 13. She also added, “Disagreement is not important. It is the power of democracy that enables people to freely talk about their disagreements.”

She has led public diplomacy through direct contact with netizens as well as the new Internet media in Korea. She is transferring to a Congress liaison officer position with the U.S. State Department.

Ms. Cormack also served as the head of the American Cultural Center in Gwangju in July, 1991. She also gave birth to two of her three children in Korea, and it is unlikely that she will forget her love for Korea. “Although I’m leaving Korea, Korea will be on my mind. For that reason, I’m not leaving Korea.”

Young-Sik Kim spear@donga.com