LONDON --When diplomat Dr. James E. Hoare was head of post at the British Embassy in the DPRK, he often went to the airport. Speaking impressive Korean -- "but I am not a linguist," he protested -- he was on hand to help welcome visitors to North Korea.
In January 2001, Hoare was named charge' d'affaires and consul general in the DPRK, responsible for establishing the British Embassy. He was, he said, "doing something completely new. I was setting up the British Embassy from scratch. Very few British, even British diplomats, knew much about North Korea." He and his wife Susan lived in Pyongyang until October last year, when Hoare retired.
"The posting to North Korea was not so difficult as we expected," Hoare said from his London home. 'We moved freely around the city and the countryside. I think whatever the political regime the Korean people are a dignified and interesting people."