National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, right, poses with former Romanian Ambassador to Korea Izidor Urian, center, during Kim's visit to Bucharest, Monday. Left is Rim Kap-soo, Korea's ambassador to Romania. Courtesy of the National Assembly Speaker's office

By Kwon Mee-yoo

National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo met former Romanian Ambassador to South Korea Izidor Urian during his visit to the southeastern European country, Monday (local time).

Urian, 88, is an expert on the Korean Peninsula and has served at the Romanian embassies in both Koreas.

Urian, who first went to Pyongyang in 1948, studied at Kim Il Sung University and earned a degree in the Korean language there.

He worked for the Romanian Embassy in North Korea in the 1960s and 70s. He picked interpreting between former Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu and former North Korean leader Kim Il-sung when Ceausescu visited Pyongyang in 1978 as one of the most memorable events of his time in North Korea.

He also contributed to the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Romania and served as the first Romanian ambassador to South Korea from 1990 to 1994.

Kim thanked Urian for bridging Korea and Romania and for continuing to wish for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Urian said he still studies the Korean language and closely watches news on the Koreas as Korea is part of his life and he considers Korea his second home.

Urian showed photos of his days in the two Koreas, from his visit to Kim Il-sung's birthplace, to Ceausescu's visit to Pyongyang, to submitting his credentials as the Romanian ambassador to South Korea to former President Roh Tae-woo and receiving an honor from the South Korean government.

Having experienced both North and South Korea, Urian expressed regrets over the division of the Korean Peninsula.

"It is regrettable that the same ethnic group is divided into two countries. Especially those dispersed families who live on one side and family members on another side, it is a big tragedy," Urian said.

"Many of the separated families died without seeing the unification of Korea and it is heartbreaking. Unification will come when the tide serves. People with the same language and history cannot live divided forever. Germany was united and Vietnam was united. The time will come for the Korean Peninsula as well," he said.