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DATE=7/6/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-235029 TITLE=SOUTH KOREA / SPY (L-ONLY) BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN DATELINE=SEOUL CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: SOUTH KOREA HAS REACTED ANGRILY TO SPYING ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ONE OF ITS DIPLOMATS IN RUSSIA. JOHN LARKIN REPORTS FROM SEOUL THAT SOUTH KOREA MAINTAINS THE DIPLOMAT IS INNOCENT. TEXT: THE DIPLOMAT, MR. CHO SUNG-WOO, WAS DETAINED LATE LAST WEEK AT THE HOME OF A RUSSIAN OFFICIAL, AND GIVEN THREE DAYS TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. RUSSIA'S FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE ACCUSED MR. CHO OF PASSING ON POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SECRETS TO SOUTH KOREAN INTELLIGENCE. SENIOR SOUTH KOREAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS HELD AN EMERGENCY MEETING IN SEOUL ON SATURDAY AFTER RECEIVING MOSCOW'S DEMAND FOR THE DIPLOMAT'S RECALL. ON MONDAY SEOUL RETALIATED, WITH ITS VICE FOREIGN MINISTER SUN JOON-YOUNG SUMMONING A RUSSIAN OFFICIAL TO EXPRESS DEEP CONCERN THAT THE INCIDENT WILL DAMAGE TIES BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS. MR. SUN ALSO PROTESTED THAT SOUTH KOREA WAS NOT CONSULTED BEFORE THE RUSSIAN SIDE MOVED AGAINST MR. CHO. HE TOLD RUSSIAN CHARGE D'AFFAIRES VALERY SUHINEN THE INCIDENT IS REGRETTABLE, ADDING THE EXPULSION VIOLATES DIPLOMATIC CONVENTIONS AND WARRANTS AN EXPLANATION. MR. CHO, A POLITICAL COUNSELOR AT SOUTH KOREA'S MOSCOW EMBASSY, HAS BEEN DECLARED PERSONA NON GRATA. LOCAL PRESS REPORTS SAY HE WILL BE BACK IN SEOUL ON TUESDAY. THE INCIDENT IS THE FIRST RIFT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND SOUTH KOREA SINCE THEY NORMALIZED DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS IN 1990. (SIGNED) NEB/JL/GC/WTW 06-Jul-98 6:36 AM EDT (1036 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .