Alejandro Cao de Benos de Les y Pérez

Infobox Korean name
context=north


width=109px
hangul=조선일
hanja=朝鮮一
rr=Jo Seon Il
mr=Cho Sŏnil

Alejandro Cao de Benos de Les y Pérez (born 1974) is the president of the Korean Friendship Association (KFA) and has been an advocate of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) since 1990. He is currently an honorary Special Delegate of the DPRK's Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and his activities are occasionally mentioned in bulletins from the Korean Central News Agency. His Korean name, Zo Sun-il ("Korea is One"), is officially recognized by North Korea.

He has lived in Tarragona and Barcelona, in the region of Catalonia, Spain, working as IT consultant, and in Lisbon, Portugal

North Korean positions and awards

According to the KFA [ [http://www.korea-dpr.com/kfaorg/alejandro_cao_de_benos.htm Resume of Alejandro Cao de Benos ] ] , Cao has received several North Korean awards including the International Friendship Order from the DPRK's Supreme People's Assembly, diplomas from the Central Committee of Radio and Television of the DPRK and the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and a personal gift from Kim Jong Il [http://www.korea-dpr.com/romenov.htm] .

Official activities in North Korea

Cao founded the Korean Friendship Association in the year 2000, setting up the first officially approved DPRK website [ [http://www.korea-dpr.com The Official Webpage of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ] ] . It includes a media section and a web-shop where badges, CDs of North Korean music and other items can be bought on-line.

Cao travels regularly to Pyongyang, organizing international delegations for the foreign press, cultural exchanges and business meetings, which entail working with DPRK officials in many ministries in both cultural and diplomatic affairs. He has written numerous articles on matters relating to the political situation in the Korean Peninsula, as well as giving interviews for television, newspapers, radio and internet press. As one of the few foreigners to devoutly follow the DPRK party line, he continues to be greatly involved with the Korean Friendship Association as well as with North Korean international relations, and the reunification of the Korean peninsula.

ee also

* Korean Friendship Association

External links

* [http://www.alejandrocaodebenos.com/blog Official Blog] Official Blog of Alejandro Cao de Benos (only available in Spanish)
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=901846 North Korean Website] A National Public Radio interview with Mr. Cao de Benos, Weekend Edition - Saturday, January 4 2003Lead

References

Persondata
NAME=Alejandro Cao de Benos de Les y Perez
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Jo Seon-il, Cho Son-il, 조선일
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Leader of the Korea Friendship Association
DATE OF BIRTH=1974
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=