Ning FuKui, Chinese ambassador to South Korea, visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 28 to express his gratitude for the successful Olympic torch relay. He might have been satisfied to see that more than 6,000 Chinese demonstrators, mostly college students, with red national flags had surrounded and beaten up some 300 protesters who had taken to the streets to protest China's forced repatriation of North Korean refugees holding signs that read "No Human Rights, No Olympics."
He will soon, however, find out that many Koreans have become cold-hearted toward China since the outrageous behavior of Chinese students was aired on TV and video of their violent actions against South Koreans was posted on the Internet.
China may not be well aware of South Koreans' deeply imbedded antipathy caused by the behavior of the Chinese in these violence incidents. It is only too true that many South Koreans have been indifferent or resigned to the measures taken by the Chinese government toward the forced repatriation of North Korean refugees, but stories of a small number of South Korean protestors beaten up by Chinese youths might change the thinking of many South Koreans. Therefore, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs finally expressed "strong regret for the excessive behavior of Chinese youths."
It is indeed regrettable that China, a nation that makes genuine efforts to enhance national glory by hosting the Olympic games -- the most important international festival--still commits human rights violations by singling out and arresting North Korean refugees and forcibly sending them back to their nation, knowing that they will face harsh treatment including detainment in concentration camps and torture. The United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees bans the forced deportation in the cases of defectors who face well-founded fears of oppression by their nations' political systems. As a member country of that convention, China should honor its obligations under the convention regardless of its own national laws or agreements with North Korea.
It is estimated that China has forcibly returned between 70,000 and 100,000 defectors to North Korea. The Chinese government has committed terrible acts against Koreans, and there is no sign of letting up. Yet China attempts to join the ranks of international leaders while violating this international convention.
In late October 1999, Jiang Zemin, then the president of China, visited France and met Jacques Chirac, then the French president. During that meeting, President Chirac expressed his concern and regret on China's forced repatriation of North Koreans. When asked to comment on an unexpected question on this issue, President Jiang promised to give an answer within one week, and Chirac requested the response in writing. Chirac expressed his interests in the human rights of North Korean defectors despite the risk of diplomatic embarrassment after ARTE TV, a French broadcasting company, covered the miserable plight of the lives of North Korean refugees who hidden out in an area bordering China several days before President Jiang's visit. China could not ignore France under these circumstances.
About ten days ago, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak called for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to pay more attention to the human rights of the North Korean defectors. As for last week's bloody incident, the South Korean government should have expressed regrets regarding the violent acts by Chinese youths to the Chinese ambassador and expressed its interest in the Chinese government's refusal to investigate the current situation of North Korean refugees in China as requested by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Cooperation and good rapport between South Korea and China are very crucial for stability and prosperity in the East Asian region as well as relations between our two nations. Mutual respect and trust are required for this good rapport to deepen. South Korea should firmly maintain the solid philosophy of protection of its nationals in order to be accepted by China as a nation with national dignity. At the same time, China will win the confidence of South Korea as a "great power of civilization" only by giving the impression of a nation that complies with international conventions and guarantees human rights.
■ The National Crisis Council of Korea(NCCK)
The National Crisis Council of Korea(NCCK) was formed after 200 national and social leaders declared a state of emergency three times in an effort to save the nation. Our country was shown to have clearly plunged into national emergency when North Korea tested an underground nuclear device on Octorber 9, 2006. Now council members and advisors of NCCK are 260 persons.
