UK Envoy Uden, No Stranger to Korea
By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
Acquainted with Korea for a long time, the new British ambassador to Seoul is expected to raise the Korea-U.K. relationship to the next level.
``I am very much looking forward to the start of my third posting to Korea. It is an exciting time to be returning to this dynamic and stimulating country,'' said Ambassador Martin Uden who began his official duties last week.
``I look forward to renewing old friendships, forming new links and to work toward strengthening the partnership between our two countries,'' Uden said.
His first posting was when he began his diplomatic career in 1978 as a second secretary ― the second was between 1994 and 1997 as political counselor.
In betweens, the ambassador served in Bonn, Germany; Ottawa, Canada; and most recently in San Francisco, the United States.
Uden is known to speak fairly good Korean, which he began learning in 1978.
He has kept a long and personal association with Korea.
In 2003, he published ``Times Past in Korea,'' an anthology of travelers' accounts of Korea. Also, he is to launch a blog soon to share his own views on life and work in modern Korea.
Uden is accompanied by his wife, whom he met in Seoul, and two sons.