KF뉴스레터-A Place in My Heart for Korea, Larger than Ever

A Place in My Heart for Korea, Larger than Ever

David Hearst, Leader Writer on Foreign Affairs of The Guardian,a progressive daily newspaper in the U.K., visited Korea to meet with specialists on inter-Korean relations, including Chun Yung-woo, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, during his stay as a guest of the Korea Foundation (July 1-7).

After starting his career in journalism at The Scotsman, a daily newspaper
of Scotland, in 1975, Mr. Hearst joined The Guardian in 1984. He has served
as Northern Ireland and Brussels correspondent, Moscow Bureau chief, and European news director, prior to his appointment as leader writer on foreign affairs, earlier this year.

▲ David Hearst in the middlge

Q: Welcome to Korea! After you accepted the Korea Foundation’s invitation to visit Korea, what were your expectations?
A: I received an invitation to visit Korea through the Korean Embassy in the U.K. in early 2007, just after I was appointed to my foreign affairs position with The Guardian. Except for the days when I was a Moscow correspondent, I had not been to the Far East, so I had always wanted to visit Northeast Asian countries to fill a void in my global knowledge. I especially wanted to visit Korea more than ever because the political situation on the Korea Peninsula was at a very dramatic moment, as the Six-Party Talks showed some notable progress. Although I am a leader writer on foreign affairs, I am not an expert in every foreign affairs issue. So, I was pleased to broaden the scope of my understanding about this region through my visit to Korea.

Q: What are your impressions about Korea?
A: It appears to be an especially dynamic and active country. I was surprised to find that Korea is far more developed than what I had thought before coming here. Although one week is not a long enough period to understand a country, I became better aware of the South Korean government’s policy and attitude toward North Korea. Personally, I am interested in social issues and I came to understand such matters in Korea, to some degree, as well. The problem with a globalized economy is that the public might be aware of a product brand, but unaware of the country that has made the item. In the U.K., public awareness of such brands as Samsung and LG is very high, but Korea or Korean culture is not well known to the people.

Q: What did you find to be the most impressive about Korea?
A: Changdeok Palace and the Secret Garden were impressive, probably because of my personal interest in gardening. As for the official schedule, I found the meeting with Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Chun Yung-woo to be most informative. It was a great help in understanding the Korean Peninsula situation. I requested various changes in the itinerary, such as a visit to Gyeongju and an industrial complex in Ulsan, so I could meet more individuals involved with Korean Peninsula issues. One regrettable thing was that I did not have an opportunity to meet with any former North Koreans.

Q: Do you have any suggestions or comments about the Foundation’s invitation program?
A: I would like to express my appreciation for providing such an excellent opportunity to learn so many things about Korea. Upon my return to the U.K., I plan to write an article on what I learned from this visit. In addition, what I saw, learned, and felt during the past one week will be utilized continuously as my background knowledge about this region. The visit to Korea was very instrumental for building a personal network, and I now have a place in my heart for Korea, larger than ever.

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A Place in My Heart for Korea, Larger than Ever

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