Kwon Byong-hyon served as the Republic of Korea's ambassador to China from 1998 to 2000, driven by his lifelong fascination with the country. Having studied in China for 25 years, Kwon played a pivotal role in normalizing ties between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Korea even before his ambassadorship.
Shortly after assuming his role, the Republic of Korea faced the 1998 IMF financial crisis. Ambassador Kwon sought aid from China, and with the support of the Chinese government, South Korea was able to recover swiftly from the economic downturn.
\"I think we are greatly indebted to the Chinese,\" Kwon remarked, expressing his hope that the two nations could maintain the close relationship they enjoyed during the \"good old days.\"
After his tenure as ambassador, Kwon founded the NGO \"Future Forest\" with the aim of combating desertification and sandstorms by planting trees in China. Through collaborative efforts, Future Forest has successfully planted over 30 million trees in the Kubuqi Desert, creating a \"green Great Wall\" for future generations.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
