S.Korea-China relationship on the brink

Posted on : 2010-05-05 12:14 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
The Lee Myung-bak administration’s protests against Kim Jong-il’s visit to China may be a sign of shifting diplomatic relations
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A number of South Korean officials are issuing a series of “public protests” to the Chinese government in response to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s visit.

Measures Taken against the Chinese Ambassador to South Korea and Diplomatic Propriety

A number of observers are saying that First Vice Foreign Minister Shin Kak-soo’s decision to summon Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Zhang Xinsen on Monday to protest China’s acceptance of Kim’s visit essentially constitutes diplomatic interference. Diplomatic customs limit the ability of officials to summon an ambassador to issue strong protests over an issue pertaining to its own nation.

Several factors appear to be at work in this exceptional “clash diplomacy” of the South Korean government. To begin, it appears the Lee Myung-bak administration, while firmly believing the warship Cheonan was sunk by the North Koreans, has taken China’s acceptance of the visit as a move to excuse North Korea’s role in the sinking. Many point out, however, that the Lee administration’s protests to the Chinese government without an official announcement that the sinking was committed by North Korea is illogical. Moreover, the North Korea-China relationship is a “third-party relationship” in which the South Korean government cannot interfere.

A second factor behind the protest seems to be hurt feelings that Seoul was not informed ahead of time of Kim’s visit despite the fact that President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese President Hu Jintao held a summit during their attendance of the opening of the Shanghai Expo. A key Cheong Wa Dae (the presidential office in South Korea or Blue House) official did not hide his disquiet, but told reporters Tuesday in a straightforward manner that China did not mention anything to South Korea.

Analysts are also saying, however, that the administration’s response is due to its ignorance of the special relationship between North Korea and China. The North Korea-China relationship is close to an alliance in blood, comparable to the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Moreover, the Chinese government has never informed a neighboring nation beforehand of an upcoming visit by Kim. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu stated during a regular briefing Tuesday that she had no new information to share, refusing to confirm Kim’s visit.

Some are also viewing the Lee administration’s response as a rebirth of Cold War diplomacy. One expert in diplomacy said the Lee administration’s response is almost the first of its kind since the diplomacy of inter-Korean confrontation disappeared from the international stage with the Roh Tae-woo administration’s July 7 Declaration that professed an open policy towards socialist nations, including North Korea, and brought back feelings of the Cold War of the 1970s and 1980s.

Another irregularity was the decision to open the first 10 minutes of the meeting Tuesday between Unification Minister Hyun In-taek and Chinese Ambassador Zhang to the media. Diplomatic practice during these meetings is to open the floor to the media for just the first two to three minutes, merely enough time for a normal report. Accordingly, a number of analysts are saying that Hyun’s decision to take a stance that seemed to pressure the Chinese government as he stressed the need for a “responsible role by China” as reporters looked on was an intentional statement made with the press in mind. Hyun also mistakenly referenced the “CheonanMUN satae” (“The Tienanmen Square Incident”) rather than then “CheonanHAM satae” (“The Warship Cheonan Incident”). This was an act of diplomatic discourtesy that is not light in its implications. Chinese embassy charge d’affaires Xing Haiming, who attended the meeting, straightly said the comment went too far, giving a glimpse of insight into the feelings of Chinese officials.

Problems

Among diplomats in Beijing, there is criticism that the Lee Myung-bak administration is making “strategic mistakes,” having been embarrassed by Kim’s visit just four days after it exaggerated for domestic political purposes Chinese President Hu Jintao comments about the Cheonan made April 30. At the time, the Cheong Wa Dae (the presidential office in South Korea or Blue House) promoted Hu’s comments, made during his meeting with President Lee, that expressed condolences for the sinking of the Cheonan and stressed the need for a scientific and transparent investigation as a virtual statement of support for the position faced by the South Korean government.

The Chinese press, however, did give any coverage of Hu’s comments at the summit regarding the sinking of the Cheonan. This is being interpreted as reflecting a decision not to convey the appearance of siding with South Korea. On the other hand, the Chinese state-run media did report that Hu met the same day with Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly, and said the two would support each other and cooperate on the international stage.

Experts say that South Korean diplomacy could isolate Seoul if it remains engrossed with connecting the sinking of the Cheonan with six-party talks.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]