Mongolian cultural official dies from heart attack during visit to Taipei

San-duin Idshinnorov, the director of Mongolia's Cabinet-level National Museum of History, died from a heart attack on Wednesday last week during a visit to Taiwan.

His body will be sent back to Mongolia today with the assistance of the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission, the Liberty Times reported yesterday.

Idshinnorov arrived on Oct. 24 to attend a Mongolian cultural exhibition at the National Museum of History in Taipei. He also planned to promote cultural exchanges during his trip.

However, Idshinnorov passed away in his hotel room at about 10am on Oct. 29. He was 62.

According to Huang Kuang-nan (黃光男), director of the museum, his counterpart occupied a very senior position in Mongolia, and his sudden death was cause for grief.

Commission officials yesterday said they had no comment other than to say they would handle the matter in accordance with the wishes of Idshinnorov's family.

"Taiwan and Mongolia have kept a low profile on bilateral exchanges due to China's constant suppression," said Huang Hua (黃華), a national policy adviser to the President and chairman of the Taiwan-Mongolia Exchange Association.

Taiwan does not have diplomatic ties with Mongolia, but the two countries set up representative offices in their respective capitals in September.

The exhibition that Idshinnorov had accompanied to Taiwan is scheduled to be held between Oct. 24 and Nov. 19. Entitled Mongolia in the 20th Century, it offers visitors a chance to see 300 pieces, mostly from Mongolia's National Museum of History.