By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Born in Seoul, South Korea, The Honorable Myung Soo Ahn has been in Houston serving as Consul General at the Consulate of The Republic of Korea since April 2020.
That’s right, as the pandemic was just lifting off, Mr. Ahn was sent to Houston. “My experience of Houston has been colored by the pandemic,” Ahn explained.
First off, he and his wife were required to quarantine for two weeks in their residence. As a diplomat that is a bit of a change as they usually have very liberal freedom of movement. With all the closures his normal activities as a diplomat were greatly limited.
So, what does a foreigner do in a foreign land to keep busy when he can’t perform normal duties? Well, for one thing, when he got really bored in the heat of the summer of 2020, he and his wife took a road trip to Atlanta, GA where they have friends who they wanted to visit.
On their merry journey, the Consul General took a detour in Alabama. “I was moved by the death of your United States Congressman, John Lewis. I wanted to walk on the Edmund Pettus Bridge as he had walked,” said Ahn.
After finding the bridge and taking time to honor one of America’s premier Civil Rights’ leaders, he and his wife resumed their journey.
There was a little hiccup on the backroads of Alabama, as the Consul General’s navigation system wasn’t getting him where he needed to be, and the gas tank was reading only 44 miles left of fuel. Problem solved: “We saw an elderly woman tending to her garden and stopped to ask her for directions,” explained Ahn.
She let them know they had been heading the wrong way for 15 miles and sent them on the path they needed to be. As Mr. Ahn and his wife thanked her, they were caught off-guard by her reply.
“I thank you because you gave me the opportunity to help you,” she said to them.
Driving away, he was very impressed with her kindness. He compares her kindness and the friendly spirit of the South with the ancient Korean term, Hongik, which is a deeply rooted cultural trait of care for each other person.
Mr. Ahn went on to explain Hongik as a sense of oneness with others and peace along with a wish to do goodwill for others. “It is part of our culture as people we really want to come up with something beneficial for other humans,” he said.
While in Texas, Consul General Ahn has had some time to explore the region and enjoy the goodness of Texas. “What impresses me about Texas is how big it is and the friendliness of the people. I attended the first game of the World Series at Minute Maid Park and that was a very memorable experience,” said Ahn.
Along with attending sporting events, he is also paying respects to the many Korean War veterans in the region. “Without their sacrifice, Korea could not have developed as it has now, so the government is very appreciative,” explained Ahn.
“When I first saw Korean War veterans, tears came to my eyes because I realized they had come to my parents’ rescue and if it had not been for them, I might not have been born,” Ahn said as he fought off tears remembering his family legacy.
As for the holiday season, South Korea is known to be the only East Asian nation to have a national holiday on Christmas Day. “We have many Christians in Korea, and they will spend the day at home with their loved ones exchanging gifts,” said Ahn.
For the most part Christmas is a quiet celebration in The Republic of Korea. Their big holiday will fall in early February with the Lunar New Year. That is when extended families travel to be with each other. There is also a traditional Thanksgiving celebration which takes place in the fall during the harvest moon, as people gather for festive meals and give thanks for the blessings they have been given.
Myung Soo Ahn has an extensive resume with diplomatic service for his nation starting in 1981. Mr. Ahn has served as an Ambassador for The Republic of Korea and will continue serving as Counsel General in Houston for one more year. He has two adult daughters whom he has not seen in a while and won’t see until he is finished with his current post.
