Park Tong-jin

Park Tong-jin graduated from Chuo University in Japan in 1943 and worked in the offices of Prime Minister Lee Beom-seok and President Syngman Rhee after independence. As a second secretary in Washington, he witnessed the signing of the 1953 mutual defense treaty. Later assignments included chief of protocol, ambassador to the United Nations, and head of the national unification ministry. ¹

Foreign minister from December 1975 to September 1980, Park confronted the Koreagate lobbying scandal and the Carter administration's troop withdrawal plans. He conveyed Seoul's willingness to have businessman Park Tongsun cooperate with American investigators. His tenure also encompassed President Park Chung-hee's assassination and the ensuing military takeover. He subsequently served two terms in the National Assembly. ¹

Park returned to Washington as ambassador in 1988–1991. He joined the Korean delegation at the February 1989 Bush–Roh summit in Seoul, where the presidents discussed security, trade disputes, and Roh's opening toward communist states. After retirement he held positions with Korea Electric Power and the Korean Council on Foreign Relations, published an autobiography in 1992, and died in 2013. ^{1, 2}