Public apology by Korean diplomat

Press, 18 February 1986, Page 2

Public apology by Korean diplomat

By

MARTIN FREETH

in Wellington The senior Korean diplomat who went on a drunken driving spree through. Wellington streets last Friday evening made a public apology to New Zealand yesterday. The apology and an offer of full restitution will end the episode but the Government is looking at a law change to remove immunity from diplomats who commit driving offences. The Korean counsellor claimed Immunity when apprehended by traffic officers, who described him as drunk and violent. The diplomat’s car was in collision with two other cars before being stopped by a pedestrian who apparently subdued him in a scuffle. The Korean Embassy issued a brief statement yesterday afternoon to say that the diplomat, identified as Mr Jin-Ho Kim, apologised sincerely to the New Zealand public and the persons he collided with and offered full restitution for the damage. The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, told his post-Cabi-net news conference that the apology came after meetings between the embassy and Government officials yesterday morning. Mr Lange gave more details about the incident. “It is perfectly plain the diplomat was drunk and drove his car appallingly,” he said. "Fortunately there was no substantial property damage, there being side-glancing blows and there was no Injury to anybody, except for the diplomat, who found that the principles of diplomatic immunity did not protect him in the event that law-abiding citizens decided to restrain him in a manner which owed a great deal to exuberance and not so much to the strict letter of the law.”

The diplomat had suffered cuts and abrasions while being restrained. These were not extensive, “but next day he knew what had happened,” Mr Lange said.

The Government decided not to challenge Mr Kim’s immunity, which could have resulted in long, legal proceedings with Korea.

Instead, the resolution worked'out with the embassy will put conditions on the driving that can be done by the diplomat during the remainder of his term in New Zealand.

Mr Lange said Mr Kim would leave “sooner rather than later,” and would have no part in official proceedings during the visit to New Zealand next month of the Korean Prime Minister, Mr Lho Shin Yong. The latter will be in Wellington for 24 hours on March 10 as part of a tour of the South Pacific.

Mr Lange confirmed that the extension of diplomatic immunity to driving matters would be reviewed. “I cannot for the life of me see why any diplomat has any protection at all from the provisions of the Transport Act,” he said. The immunity enjoyed by diplomats was highlighted late in 1984 when a Chilean official escaped prosecution after a young Wellington woman was killed in a head-on collision. The Chilean avoided being breath-tested because of his protected status under the Consular Privileges and Immunities Act.

Mr Lange said that in the latest incident breathtesting was not necessary

as the Korean diplomat was so obviously drunk and that was sufficient to constitute an offence when he attempted to drive.