MFA Press Statement: Presentation of Credentials

The following new foreign Heads of Mission presented their diplomatic credentials to President S R Nathan in separate ceremonies at the Istana today:

(a) The Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mr Ji Jae Suk, who has succeeded Mr Kang Dal Son;

(b) The Ambassador of the Slovak Republic, Mr Peter Holasek, who has
succeeded Mr Milan Lajciak; and

(c) The Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia, Mr Francisco J. Sierra, who has succeeded Mr Luis Fernando Angel Mejia.

The curriculum vitae of Mr Ji Jae Suk, Mr Peter Holasek and Mr Francisco J. Sierra are attached.
. . . . .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
12 FEBRUARY 2004
________________________________________________________

JI JAE SUK

AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE

DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA

BORN:

24 February 1948, Korea

AGE:

55

MARITAL STATUS:

Married
Has three children

EDUCATION:

Student of University of International Relations in Pyongyang, Korea, 1974 - 1978

CAREER:

Apr 1965 - Apr 1974
In Army Service

Apr 1978 - Apr 1989
Officer, Researcher and Director of Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DPRK

May 1989 - Mar 1993
1st Secretary of DPRK Embassy in Thailand

Mar 1993- Apr 1996
Director of Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DPRK

May 1996- Aug 1999
Counsellor of DPRK Embassy in Malaysia

Sep 1999 - Nov 2003
Deputy Director of Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DPRK

Dec 2003
Ambassador - designate to Singapore

12 Feb 2004 to date
Ambassador to Singapore
. . . . .

February 2004
___________________________________________________

PETER HOLASEK

AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

BORN:

14 October 1953

AGE:

50

MARITAL STATUS:

Married
Has one daughter

EDUCATION:

Faculty of Art, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia 1972-77
Phd Philosophiae

CAREER:

1977 - 1988
Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prague, Czechoslovakia

1988 - 1992
Second Secretary, Embassy of Czechoslovakia in Indonesia

1993 - 1995
Director of Department for Information, Analyses and Policy Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bratislava, Slovakia

1995
Deputy Director, Slovak Institute for International Studies, Bratislava, Slovakia

1995 - 1999
Counsellor, Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Israel

1999
Deputy Director for Cultural Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bratislava, Slovakia

1999 - 2000
Deputy Director, Third Territorial Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bratislava, Slovakia

2000
Director of Department for Analyses and Policy Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bratislava, Slovakia

4 Sep 2003 to date
Ambassador to Indonesia

Sep 2003
Ambassador-designate to Singapore

12 Feb 2004 to date
Ambassador to Singapore, resident in Jakarta

LANGUAGES:

English, Russian and Indonesian
. . . . .

February 2004
_________________________________________________________

FRANCISCO J. SIERRA

AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE

REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA

BORN:

16 December 1944

AGE:

59

MARITAL STATUS:

Married to Luz Stella Rodriguez
No children

EDUCATION:

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University "Pontificia Bolivariana de Medellin", 1966

CAREER:

Dec 1965 - Jun 1969
Technical Department, Fabricato S.A.

Jun 1969 - July 1978
Organization and Systems and Foreign Trade Departments, Postobon S.A.

Jul 1978 to date
Chairman, Incolmotos - Yamaha S.A.

31 Mar 2003 to date
Ambassador to Japan

12 Feb 2004 to date
Ambassador to Singapore, resident in Tokyo

MEMBERSHIP:

1968 - 1972
Member, Board of Directors, Colombian Association of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (ACIEM)

1975 - 2002
Member, Board of Directors, Incolmotos-Yamaha S.A.

1995 - 1997
Member, Board of Directors, (Organization of Children and Junior Musical Bands)

1998 - 2002
Member, Board of Directors, FEDEMETAL

1999 - 2002
Member, Board of Directors, Dann Regional S.A.

1999 - 2002
Member, Board of Directors, Yamaha Motor of Peru S.A

2002
Member, Board of Directors, ANDI Sectional Antioquia

2002
Member, Board of Directors, Choral Society Tomas Luis de Victoria

AWARDS:

1971
"Enfriamiento Evaporativo del Aire" (Evaporative Cooling of the Air)

1979
"Golden Prize for Best Publicity" given by Yamaha Motor Co Ltd, Japan

1979
"Prize for Excellence in Service" given by Yamaha Motor Co Ltd, Japan

1992 and 1998
"Prize for Excellence in Marketing", given by Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd, Japan (YMC)

1997
"Special Prize for the Sale of Musical Instruments", given by Yamaha Corporation, Japan

REMARKS:

1996
Sponsor of the musical education of Colombian children, implementing in Colombia the musical education system developed by Yamaha Music Foundation of Japan.

1997
Helped to set up the Yamaha Technical Institute which provides less privileged High School Graduates free technical training. Also involved in a project to create musical bands for every municipality of Antioquia.
. . . . .

February 2004

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