The Seoul Liaison Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) held its opening ceremony Monday at the Shilla Hotel. The Seoul office began operations in the Anglican Church complex near Toksu Palace in April but is only now settled in enough to arrange the ceremony. At the event were UNHCR officials, including James Kovar, the office chief, government officials and representatives of related civic groups. Up until April, the UNHCR dealt with refugee affairs involving South Korea through one officer assigned to Seoul from its Tokyo-based liaison office.
South Korea joined the international refugees convention in 1992.