A group of Grand National Party (GNP) members of the National Assembly tried to hold a press conference in Beijing about the issue of North Korean defectors before it was physically thwarted by Chinese authorities. It was an ugly incident. Unidentified men assumed to be Chinese public security agents turned the room into a sea of darkness by cutting the power, and then they physically removed the Korean and international journalists who had come to cover the event. They even tried to force the GNP Assembly members out of the room as well, without ever identifying themselves. The Chinese clearly committed a major diplomatic wrong with their shameless attitude, which gave the appearance they look down on our Assembly members. In protest of what had happened, those Assembly members sat in confrontation with the agents for 11 hours. We think the Chinese's rude attitude most regrettable, and call on Chinese authorities to issue a reasonable explanation and take suitable measures in response.
No less a problem than China's disrespect was the imprudent and irresponsible behavior of the GNP Assemblymen. They received official notification from Chinese authorities that the press conference would not be permitted, and yet they went ahead with it anyway, inviting the encounter. The Chinese are very sensitive about the issue of defectors, and yet they went ahead anyway with a gangster-like attitude, inciting conflict by doing so. It is common knowledge that the demand they sought to publicize, namely that defectors should be recognized as refugees, is something Chinese authorities are not ready to accept. The narrow-minded, high-handed approach of the Chinese as they got physically rough at a press conference by parliamentarians from a neighboring country and the unilateral behavior of the GNP Assembly members who went to China acting like they were in their own living rooms and disregarding the host country's system of government and customs were both imprudent and out of line with diplomatic practice.
We hope that the incident gets resolved and that it does not end up harming Sino-Korean relations. The two countries have a mountain's worth of things needing close discussion and cooperation, beginning with the North Korean nuclear issue. We hope each side refrains from excessive emotional confrontation and resolves the situation sensible.
The Hankyoreh, 14 January 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Thwarted Press Conference in Beijing |
