The Myanmar Embassy in Seoul refused to issue a visa on January 5 to former South Korean president Kim Dae-jung, who wants to travel to the military junta-ruled country to meet the country’s detained democracy advocate, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Kim, who is a Nobel Peace Prize winner, as is Suu Kyi, had applied for the visa with 10 other Nobel laureates to join a democracy campaign in Myanmar, organized by the Nobel Women’s Initiative, which was established in 2006 by female Nobel Peace Laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Betty Williams, and Mairead Corrigan Maguire.

Choi Kyeong-hwan, a spokesman for Kim, said, "The Myanmar embassy rejected the visa application, citing an infringement on Myanmar’s sovereignty."

Kim said he was very regretful that he could not obtain the visa, but continues to support Suu Kyi’s release and democracy in Myanmar.

On January 16 last year, Kim sent a letter to Myanmar’s top authority, calling for a release of Suu Kyi.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]