» Boston Consul General Kim Joo-seok

Newly appointed Consul General Kim Joo-seok reported to his new post, South Korean Consulate General Boston last week.  Despite having to get adjusted to his new working environment and dealing with a myriad of transitional tasks, Kim held a news interview with local Korean American news organizations and provided his initial comments about his new assignment.
Consul General Kim is a 31-year career diplomat who most recently served as Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.  He is a graduate of Seoul National University and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1977.  During his lengthy career, Kim has served in various diplomatic posts around the world, in the Ministry, and the Office of the President.
"I am not too familiar with Boston, so please help me get to know it better," pleaded Kim asking several detailed questions about food, weather, and how fellow Korean Americans lived.  He spent better part of the time listening, although undoubtedly as a veteran diplomat he has already done an extensive study of his new assignment.
Last December, Korean voters elected a new president from the opposite side of political spectrum.  There has been some grumbling in the political circles that President Lee's initial appointments of high level diplomatic positions have overwhelmingly gone to his political supporters.  So, naturally, Kim has heard questions such as "since the President is conservative, the Consul General must be one also."

Consul General Kim would simply respond by saying, "do you know hot-cold baths?"  Given that his career span included time spent alternately between hot and cold places literally and figuratively, as in choice assignments verses not so desirable ones, often dictated by who was in charge of the Presidential office at any given moment, he just seemed to take it all in stride.
The greater Boston Korean American community has hardly any input as to the comings and goings of Korean diplomatic staff.  Nevertheless, many local Korean Americans (particularly first generation) are keenly interested in who is going to be the next Consul General every time there is a change, for they wonder how well the new chief diplomat could serve as the "face" of the community.
"I am a public servant."  In that one statement, Consul General Kim appeared to have encapsulated very positive essence of his role while exuding confidence and expertise of a veteran diplomat.