Seoul officials on Wednesday confirmed that a U.S. woman in Tampa, Florida who is linked to the sudden resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus is an honorary consul of South Korea and she will be relieved from the symbolic post if she is found to be problematic.
Harassment allegations by the Tampa socialite Jill Kelley led the FBI to uncover an extramarital affair between Petraeus, the former top commander in Iraq and Afghanistan who stepped down as CIA chief last week, and his biographer, Paula Broadwell.
The scandal has widened as the Pentagon said that Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, was under investigation for alleged “inappropriate communications” with Kelley.
Two officials at Seoul‘s foreign ministry said Kelley was appointed as the honorary consul of South Korea in August this year.
“Although she is not indicted or punished, if she is found to be problematic, she will be relieved from the post of honorary consul,” a ministry official said on the condition of anonymity.
The official said Kelley was appointed to the post following a recommendation from the South Korean embassy in the U.S.
Another ministry official said that Kelley took up the post because of “her good connections and network and willingness to develop Korea-U.S. relations, including the free trade agreement between the two nations.”
The post of honorary consul has no official responsibilities, the official said. (Yonhap News)
