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Unification committee hopes to enlist Henry Kissinger, 91, as special adviser

September 8, 2014
Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger

SEOUL (Yonhap) — South Korea’s new committee on national unification is hoping to recruit Henry Kissinger, former U.S. secretary of state, as its special international adviser, a government official said Tuesday.

“The international advisory group under the unification committee is trying to recruit a high-profile figure who has interest in Korean affairs and has influence,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Former Secretary Kissinger is under consideration.”

It wasn’t certain whether Kissinger, who is 91 this year, would accept the offer, he said.

The unification committee was launched in July on the instructions of President Park Geun-hye to prepare for reunification with North Korea. Park chairs the committee that will have members from both the government and the private sector. It will have four advisory groups.

A recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Kissinger is highly sought after for advice on foreign affairs. Having served under U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, he is recognized for his role in detente with the Soviet Union and diplomatic engagement with China.