South Korean Ambassador Han Duk-Soo made a visit to the School of International Service last week to honor tradition and confirm the strong relationship between AU and South Korea, according to a university press release.
Han visited the three cherry blossom trees that were given to the school in 1943 by Syngman Rhee, the first South Korean president. As part of the tradition, the ambassador of South Korea pays a visit to the trees when they are in bloom.
Han said he was not aware AU and Korea had a bond over trees.
"I have many friends who graduated from AU, but I didn't expect that AU had such a longstanding relationship with Korea through trees," he said in the press release.
There are plans to plant a grove of younger cherry blossom trees near the new SIS building to join the three older trees, Michael Mastrota, AU's landscape architect, said in the press release.
-ANNA TUMAN
