VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHUL #0926 1270717
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060717Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9740
INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4388
UNCLAS SEOUL 000926
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OTRA AMGT KNNP PREL MNUC KN CH JA
SUBJECT: KOREA COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR EAP/K SUNG KIM AND
DELEGATION
REF: SECSTATE 46988
1. (U) Embassy Seoul welcomes and grants country clearance for the
May 7 through May 11, 2008 visit of Sung Kim, Director of the Office
of Korean Affairs; Douglas Frank, Program Manager, Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory; Chuck Lutes, NSC Director for
Counter-Proliferation; and Richard Klein, Senior Technical Expert,
U.S. Department of Defense. The purpose of the visit is to travel
to Seoul en route to Pyongyang for consultations related to the
Six-Party Talks.
CONTACT INFORMATION
--------------------
2. (U) Control officer for the visit is Political Officer
Donny Yoo.
Office telephone: (82)(2) 397-4154
Embassy operator (82)(2) 397-4114 then press "0"
Cell phone: (82)(11) 298-4136
Fax number: (82)(2) 733-4791
Unclassified email: YooDH@state.gov
Classified email: YooDH@state.sgov.gov
LODGING
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3. (U) Embassy has reserved four rooms at the Seoul Plaza Hotel for
May 7, 2008 and three hotel rooms for May 10-11, 2008 at per diem
rates. The reservation confirmation numbers are 467338, 467401,
467404, and 467337 for all guests/for all nights. Hotel is located
at 23 2-Ga Taepyeong-no, Jung-gu, Seoul Korea 100-864, Seoul; hotel
phone number is 82-2-310-7710; fax number: 82-2-310-7211.
Cancellation policy is 24 hours prior to arrival to avoid one-night
penalty.
TRANSPORTATION
--------------
4. (U) All official travelers must possess a Korean visa to enter
the country. Travelers may contact the nearest Korean
Consulate/Embassy to obtain a visa. The delegation will be met at
the airport by a motor pool car and driver.
THREAT ASSESSMENT
-----------------
5. (U) Americans in Seoul are subject to worldwide threat from
international terrorists, although we have no information to suggest
any specific terrorists threats directed at Americans here.
Political demonstrations occur frequently in Seoul, and are
occasionally anti-American. Americans can minimize personal risk by
staying away from demonstrations and by avoiding confrontation or
altercations with protestors. While relatively infrequent by U.S.
standards, street crime does occur. Most reported crimes involve
pick-pocketing in tourist areas and are predominantly non-violent in
nature. The security precautions a person would take in any large
city are appropriate throughout South Korea.
6. (SBU) As a matter of prudence, you must assume that all rooms,
telephones, cellular phones, and fax machines can be monitored. You
should not discuss sensitive or classified information in
uncontrolled areas. Official travelers should ensure that hard-copy
and electronic sensitive information is not left in hotel rooms.
Computers, including laptops and Personal Digital Assistants, cannot
be brought into the Embassy except with prior permission from the
RSO office.
7. (U) Police are considered capable and well trained. Seoul
metropolitan authorities staff English-speaking personnel 24 hours
daily to handle local emergencies. Telephone numbers are as
follows: 112 police emergency, 119 fire and ambulance.
VERSHBOW