S. Korean navy commander gets U.S. medal

SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean naval commander Cho Duk-hyun will be
honored with a medal from the U.S. government for efforts he made while serving
as an exchange professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, navy officials here said
Monday.

Cdr. Cho, who lectured at the U.S. academy for two years from February 2007, was
the first foreign officer to teach "American Naval History," a compulsory class
for first year students there, since the school opened in 1845. He also set up
the academy's first Korean history class as part of efforts to introduce Korea to
American cadets, South Korea's navy said.
Cho was to receive the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal from Commander of
the U.S. Naval Forces Korea Peter A. Gumataotao later in the day.
"I am honored to be receiving a medal for having done what I was given to do,"
the South Korean commander was quoted as saying by the navy. "I was glad to have
been able to teach Korean culture and tradition to cadets."
The naval academies in Seoul and Washington launched the professor exchange
program in 1993, under which eight Korean officers and six American officers have
taught in the partnering schools.
Cho, who majored in history at Seoul's Korea University and received a doctorate
from Ohio State University, was the first history professor to serve under the
exchange program.
Some 28,500 U.S. troops have been stationed in South Korea since the 1950-53 war
with North Korea ended in a truce, not a permanent peace treaty.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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