A Chinese man who did not identify himself demands that journalists stop filming South Korean diplomats, one of them, Bai Ii-do, sitting at left, in a conference room of the Great Wall Sheraton hotel in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2005. At least half a dozen unidentified men interrupted a press conference, switching off the sound system and lights and forcing out journalists. Hotel personnel claim the diplomats did not have proper authorization to hold the press conference. (AP Photos/Ng Han Guan)
Although the men were on diplomatic passports, the four were actually lawmakers from the Grand National Party, and what transpired in Beijing is, from what I can read, a disgrace. From Reuters:
South Korean lawmakers have found out for themselves the limits of political freedom in China when men believed to be Chinese state security officials shut down their planned news conference.
The lawmakers had called the news conference to publicise the issue of North Korean refugees who have reached China and who rights groups say are often sent back if they are caught by authorities or fail to push their way into a foreign embassy.
“We have nothing to hide, turn on the lights. Identify yourselves,” said one of the lawmakers, Bae Il-do. “This amounts to an illegal detainment.”
At least five Chinese men, who appeared to be state security agents dressed in plainclothes but who declined to identify themselves, turned off the lights in the hotel conference room and began shouting and shoving people through the doors.
A photographer from The Associated Press was hit on the head, and several others were pushed and shoved by the men who said they did not need to inform anyone who they were.
Politically sensitive meetings are routinely shut down by China’s ruling Communist Party, which censors criticism and blocks freedom of assembly.
“We will abide by Chinese law but we want to see the relevant law. Where in the Chinese law does it prohibit holding press conferences?” asked another lawmaker, Kim Moon-soo, who added it troubled him to think of Beijing hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“I doubt whether a country like this can successfully hold the Olympic Games,” he said.
What did the Chinese Embassy in Seoul have to say about this? From the Korea Times:
A spokesman at the Chinese embassy in Seoul declined to talk about the incident in detail. “I don’t have further information about it,” Li Ruifeng, the embassy spokesman, told The Korea Times.
The Chinese Communist Party frequently clamps down on meetings it considers politically sensitive.
The Chinese men involved in the scuffle in Beijing refused to identify themselves but demanded the lawmakers seek approval from China’s Foreign Ministry before holding the news conference, Kim??s aide said.
Li in Seoul echoed their demands. “Foreigners should follow the rules of the country they are in,” Li said. “In the case of China, foreigners need to get approval from the relevant authorities before holding a news conference. Without such approval, it is considered illegal.”
But Kim’s aide, on condition of anonymity, said that it was the first time that she had heard of such a law existing in China.
“We notified the South Korean embassy in Beijing of our schedule for holding the news conference,” she said. “If such rules existed, our embassy staff would have told us to first seek permission from the Chinese government.”
Odd thing is, Moon himself said he was told by the Korean Embassy about a half hour before the scheduled start of the press conference that the delegation needed to get the Chinese government’s approval:
Rep. Kim Moon-soo said that at 1:34, the Korean Embassy in Beijing asked the lawmakers to cancel the press conference because it had not been approved by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, but Moon refused to comply because the event had already been scheduled. He added it was incredible that the Chinese government would behave in such a way toward a delegation that came to China on diplomatic passports.
Reporters Without Borders has “voiced dismay” over the manner in which the press conference was broken up.
I’m sure more information about this will come in as the dust settles…
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Truth be told, these lawmakers, who were being harassed by Chinese embassy officials even back in Seoul, and especially their South Korean embassy handlers in Beijing, should have known that China occasionally and selectively enforces its policies requiring a permit for news conferences. NGOs working on sensitive issues are often rejected (or worse), but South Korean officials would have had no problem getting approval. However, one has to wonder whether diplomats directed to follow cold-shoulder policies on North Korean refugees recently articulated by Seoul would really support their program. (Why not hold the event at the South Korean embassy?) Then again, maybe the lawmakers wanted controversy to draw attention to a cause neglected back home.
Some good may come of this incident, such as a more sober South Korean view of China’s government and a greater willingness to contemplate the plight of North Koreans. (I’m writing without checking if Seoul’s “progressive” media outlets covered the scrum.) If China can see fit to rough up dignitaries, imagine what could happen to a hapless Northerner who’s not even welcome in South Korea any more.
And factions of the government actually think it would be beneficial for Korea to snuggle up to China?
Calling this a set play by these diplomats, with or without Seoul’s guidance, is wishful thinking on Slim’s part. More likely, this is a mistake a diplomatic staff should not make, but, in Seoul’s case, so often do. But, I would be more interested in reading the SK coverage, not for the ideological slant, but to see if someone actually admits a mistake was made.
Calling this a set play by these diplomats, with or without Seoul??s guidance, is wishful thinking on Slim??s part.
I certainly wouldn’t wish for any outcome like what happened. But when you read accounts of North Koreans and those who help them being harassed by SOUTH Korean officials (Vladivostok etc), you have to wonder about the trickledown policy effect of having guys like Chung Dong-young publicly withdraw the welcome mat for North Koreans.
I bet deep down Roh is pretty happy the conference got shut down. I also have to echo the Infidel’s point. Did these guys just make a mistake and can’t have the balls to admit it?
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