Korean Envoy Asks China to Let Lotte Mart Reopen Stores

Korean Ambassador to Beijing Kim Jang-soo on Tuesday officially asked the Chinese government to lift the closures of Lotte Mart stores in China.

Since early March, 67 of the 99 Lotte Marts in China have been closed for alleged health and safety violations amid a spat over Seoul's decision to let the U.S. station a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery here.

Kim wrote to the Chinese foreign, commerce and public security ministries, according to the Korean Embassy. "The reopening of Lotte Mart stores will be helpful to bilateral relations and China's economic development," he said in the letter. "Please cooperate in lifting the suspension so that they can operate normally."

"It's been almost a month," an embassy official said. "We urged the Chinese government that there should be no more serious setback to their operations."

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