Busan is good

U.S. embassy in Seoul to reopen consulate in Busan

Contents

The U.S. Embassy in Korea plans to reopen a consular office Friday (Oct. 19) in the country's second largest city of Busan, but the office will only provide consular services to U.S. citizens, embassy officials said.

The U.S. consulate in Busan was shut down in 1996, forcing Korean and foreign residents in Busan seeking a U.S. visa to travel nearly 500 kilometers to Seoul.

"The consulate in Busan will be reopened after 11 years, but it is designed to provide consular services only to U.S. citizens there for now," an embassy official said,.

Washington agreed to reopen the Busan consulate last year at a meeting between then Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, now the secretary-general of the United Nations, and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Alexander Vershbow plans to attend a ceremony later in the day to mark the reopening of the U.S. consulate in this southern port city, according to embassy officials.

The source of news : Korea.net  October 19, 2007