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According to sources in the Korean business community on June 12, the Xing Haiming, Chinese Ambassaor to South Korea, stayed at Healing Stay Cosmos Resort, an accommodation facility operated by Korea’s Kolon Group on Ulleung Island of Korea in the East Sea, last month. While the exact price of the suite at the resort was not disclosed, it is said to cost more than 10 million won (US$7,866) per night.
Some people speculate that Kolon Group may have provided accommodation for Ambassador Xing in order to expand its business in China. Kolon Plastic, which targets companies related to automobiles, electrical and electronic products, and household goods, has a subsidiary in China. Some observers believe that the company may have been aiming to restore ties with China, given that Kolon closed its tire cord factory in Nanjing, China at the request of the Chinese government, which wanted to develop the factory site. Kolon moved its main production base to Vietnam.
Ambassador Xing, meanwhile, has been under heavy fire in the recent deterioration of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China. He sparked off a controversy on June 8 when he met with Democratic Party leader Lee at the Chinese ambassador's residence and said, “It is wrong to bet that the United States will win and China will lose.” South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Xing amid criticism that Xing’s meeting with Lee went too far and could be seen as interference in Korea’s internal affairs. Chinese authorities responded by summoning the South Korean ambassador to China in protest of the Korean government summoning Xing.