KOREA COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR EAP/K SUNG KIM AND PAUL

UNCLAS SEOUL 001245 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 PAUL HAENLE REF: SECSTATE 67442 ¶1. (U) Embassy Seoul welcomes and grants country clearance for the official June 24-30, 2008 visit of Sung Kim, Director of the Office of Korean Affairs and Paul Haenle, NSC Director of Chinese Affairs. 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 Jason Evans. Office telephone: (82)(2) 397-4372 Embassy operator (82)(2) 397-4114 then press "0" Cell phone: (82)(010) 4796-9847 Fax number: (82)(2) 733-4791 Unclassified email: EvansJD@state.gov Classified email: EvansJD@state.sgov.gov LODGING -------------- ¶3. (U) Embassy has reserved two rooms at the Lotte Hotel for June 24-25 and June 28-29, 2008 at per diem rates. The reservation confirmation number is 10126188 for all guests/for all nights. Hotel is located at 1 Sogong-dong Jung-gu, Seoul Korea 100-070, Seoul; hotel phone number is 82-2-771-1000; fax number: 82-2-752-3758. 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 not be met at the airport. 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