South Korea Refuses Dalai Lama Visit
Nidhi Sharma - All Headline News Contributor
Seoul, South Korea (AHN) - South Korea has refused to allow spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to enter the country out of consideration of Seoul's relationship with China. Dalai Lama had applied for a visa to visit South Korea next month for a conference of Nobel Peace Prize laureate but Korea decided to reject the request, considering ''overall relations with China and national interests,'' said a Foreign Ministry official, asking not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. China has even urged other countries not to host the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader, saying he is a separatist bent on gaining independence for Tibet, reports UNI news agency. China captured Tibet by force in 1950 and the Dalai Lama went into exile in India following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in the territory. China is South Korea's top trade partner and Korea also needs Beijing's help in persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions.
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