Bad Luck for an Olympic Host? -- South Korean Diplomat in Beijing Dies,
Food Poisoning Suspected

South Korean Diplomat in Beijing Dies, Food Poisoning Suspected

By Dune Lawrence and Heejin Koo

July 31 (Bloomberg) -- A South Korean diplomat to China died in Beijing
after showing signs of food poisoning, in another potentially damaging
blow to China's reputation on food safety.

Whang Joung Il, minister for political affairs at the South Korean
embassy in Beijing, displayed symptoms of food poisoning and respiratory
failure before dying on July 29, according to a statement from South
Korea's Foreign Ministry today. South Korea is awaiting the results of
an autopsy by Chinese authorities.

China is facing growing international pressure to ensure the safety of
its food and consumer goods exports after a series of scandals. Beijing
is preparing to host 1.7 million visitors for the 2008 Olympics in a
year's time.

Whang began to have diarrhea and severe abdominal pains after eating a
sandwich from a shop near the South Korean embassy on July 28, and died
at a clinic in the eastern section of Beijing the next day after
receiving an injection to help stave off dehydration, the Chosun Ilbo
newspaper reported.

The embassy told the South Korean newspaper that Whang's death may be
linked to a sandwich he ate, or possibly to a fake or improperly
administered intravenous solution.

Scandals from tainted fish to toothpaste containing industrial chemicals
have hurt China's reputation abroad in recent months and caused tensions
with the U.S. that threaten to damage the countries' $343 billion trade
relationship. A U.S. delegation led by Health and Human Services
Department Chief of Staff Rich McKeown arrived in China's capital city
today to start hammering out agreements on food and drug safety.

Earlier this month a television report showed cardboard being used as a
filling for steamed pork buns, a popular snack here. The government
since declared the news story a fake, arrested the reporter, and
announced increased scrutiny of the media, signaling the growing
sensitivity of food-safety issues.

To contact the reporter on this story: Dune Lawrence in Beijing at
dlawrence6@bloomberg.net ; Heejin Koo in Seoul at hjkoo@bloomberg.net .
Last Updated: July 31, 2007 04:59 EDT