Former U.S. ambassador finishes bicycle tour along S. Korea‘s four major rivers

Former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, Kathleen Stephens, has completed a five-day bicycle tour along the country’s four major rivers as part of a water-management project, the land and transportation ministry said Sunday.

The ministry said it has conferred a medal to Kathleen Stephens in recognition of her being the first foreigner to participate in tour the country via the bicycle trails built along the four major rivers - the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan.

Stephens was born in west Texas and grew up in New Mexico and Arizona. After college, she was a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea‘s Yesan, South Choongcheong from 1975–1977; it was then that she was given her Korean name Shim Eungyeong.

During her duty, President Lee was surprised at Stephens Korean fluency and they spoke in Korean during parts of their meetings.

August 1, 2008 the US Senate confirmed Stephens’ nomination as US ambassador to South Korea and she finished her duty in 2011 and Sung Kim took over the position.

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Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com