New U.S. Ambassador to Korea, Kathleen Stephens

Stephens volunteered to teach English while a member of the Peace Corps and taught there for two years from 1975 under her Korean name, Shim Eun-kyung. Her acquaintances are excited about the prospect of their first reunion in more than 30 years; Stephens is also looking forward to the meeting.

Kang Kyung-hee and Lee Soon-ho, both 56, and Kwon Young-ran, 57, an English-teaching troika working at Yesan Middle School at the time, are especially thrilled at the news. They were of a similar age to Stephens and helped her adjust to life in Korea, along the way forging a great friendship that has been rekindled following the announcement of her diplomatic posting.

Kang said, "I called her in the United States because I was so happy for her. I felt as if I had also become ambassador." She said that Stephens asked for her help with contacting old friends when she arrives, likely in early September. Kang recalls that Stephens used to be "feminine yet active in everything she does, and loved traveling and photography."

New U.S. Ambassador to Korea, Kathleen Stephens, right, is pictured with Kwon Young-ran, left, and Lee Soon-ho, center, former colleagues at Yesan Middle School in South Chungcheong Province. /Yonhap

Said Lee, "We went to buy some bedding together, after I saw her using a sleeping bag. I want to meet her soon to share our old memories."

Kwon, who still works as a teacher, reminisced that Stephens was "easy-going and down-to-earth. Her life in Korea must have been unfamiliar, but she never looked tired," Kwon added.

Baek Won-kyu, an English teacher at Yesan Girls' Middle School and Stephens’ former middle school student, said he is keen to meet the teacher who kindly helped him overcome his fears of English. Likewise, Park Jong-wan, the principal of Yesan Middle School, said the whole school is waiting to welcome Stephens.

She is expected to take up her ambassadorial post in late August or early September.

(englishnews@chosun.com )