Cheong Wa Dae Fires Roh’s Interpreter

Cheong Wa Dae decided on June 22 to change the English interpreter for President Roh Moo-hyun from administrative officer Lee Sung-hwan (30) to diplomatic officer Chung Eui-hye (31, female) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) starting July.

Chung passed the 31st high diplomatic service examination. She has lived in Singapore and other foreign countries, and is currently working at the Southeast Asian Division of the Asia-Pacific Bureau at the MOFAT.

Having passed the 33rd high diplomatic service examination, administrative officer Lee—the son of the Korean ambassador to the United States Lee Tae-sik—has been in charge of English interpretation for President Roh since February 2004. He will return to the MOFAT and go to the U.S. in early August to study at Princeton University. Lee, who has been working at the 1st Office for Presidential Auxiliary Services, got a verbal warning in February when he gave minutes of the National Security Council (NSC) standing committee meeting on strategic flexibility (confidential) to Lee Jong-heon (50), then-administrative officer of the Office of Presidential Secretary for Protocol.

Myoung-Gun Lee gun43@donga.com