【Ro Jaehun’s Special Column on The 30th Anniversary of Korea-China】
“The Flower of Nothern Diplomacy" Korea-China Relations... Roh Tae-woo’s historic mission
Ro Jae-hun, President of East Asia Culture Center
My father's dream, as I remember it, was to maintain normal relations with all countries in the world through "Northern Diplomacy" and unite the two Koreas on the path of unification on the basis of national pride. His dream was for our people to become proud global citizens within the framework of an advanced country called the Republic of Korea. So, my father dreamed of the Republic of Korea expanding the scope of exchange beyond the Korean Peninsula and becoming a strong country through the unification of the two Koreas.
My father, who idealizes the phrase “an iron hand in a velvet glove (being strong on the inside, but soft of the outside),” set such a goal and tried to achieve it by “inter-Korean exchanges” and “establishing diplomatic relations with socialist countries.” Who could have thought that a country that maintained anti-communist ideology in the Cold War system more than 30 years ago could establish diplomatic relations with a socialist country, or that these diplomatic relations were the way to draw closer to the goal of unification on the Korean Peninsula by helping the national economy grow steadily? I think these achievements are the history of Korea's great transformation. It was created by the open thinking of those who worked with my father at the time, their wisdom and efforts.
While my father emphasized a "happy society founded on economy and culture," he also used Northern Diplomacy to promote the idea of a strong country and inter-Korean unification that would eventually lead to the reunion of separated families, established diplomatic relations with socialist countries, including China, and opened the door to inter-Korean exchanges. Since I was young, I couldn't know everything my father was doing, but by the way he worked and how often forgot to sleep, I felt the heaviness and responsibility of his position as president.
The Northern Diplomacy, the Flower of Northern Diplomacy, and "Korea-China diplomatic relations" all had a great influence not only on the country, but also on myself. The history of our family, whose family background is that of an educated Noh family, is also related to China. Also, for my father, who read the world situation with an Eastern cultural and historical lens, diplomatic relations between Korea and China were a necessary mission that would be remembered throughout history. According to my father, who told me about China's history, culture, the state of the Korean people, and the economic and cultural territories of Primorsky and Manchuria, I became interested in China. Additionally, as I interacted with Chinese people, I also discovered Asian values. I think I was greatly influenced by the education my father gave me, which often described the cultural commonalities between Korea and China while discussing the northern territories of Korea.
I think my father, who grew up in the remote region of Daegu, had great insight by understanding the history and culture of the East and international relations in East Asia, especially under the circumstances of that time. Therefore, I do not believe it was a surprise when the power of the KF (International Exchange Foundation) and KIEP (Korea Institute for International Economic Policy) was increased in regard to not only northern diplomacy, but also public diplomacy and international economic power. Nor was it a surprise when, being interested in the power of culture, my father created the Ministry of Culture and appointed Professor Lee E-ryeong as the first minister.
After looking at these historic results, it is easy to evaluate that my father had insight at that time, but it is really difficult to plan for the future using such insight. In that respect, it is also necessary to properly evaluate how much northern diplomacy and its flower, meaning the diplomatic relations between Korea and China, have helped Korea. Northern diplomacy, which boldly expanded our economic and diplomatic territories in the 1980s, will remain a historic change in our diplomatic history, as this was a time when the domestic situation of the 1980s was concerned with the stagnation of economic growth due to issues of internationalization and globalization. Considering how many companies and people have interacted with socialist countries in the region to expand their economic interests and increase their diplomatic and cultural influence, this is a historical feat. I was a time in which the national power was upgraded again in the process of changing the Republic of Korea.
While preparing for diplomatic relations between Korea and China, my father frequently contacted people such as Kim Bok-dong, Park Cheol-eon, Kim Jong-hwi, Jang Ki-hyuk, and Kim Han-gyu. All of South Korea's top politicians in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributed greatly to the 'peak' of this northern diplomacy. It is difficult to mention all of those involved, but there was more than one person who tried to establish diplomatic relations with China, a country of unknown dreams and hopes at the time. Additionally, it was never an easy task to consider these matters, such as how to overcome North Korea's opposition to the establishment of diplomatic relations or how to deal with Taiwan (then the Republic of China), which had maintained diplomatic relations for a long time. I believe that overcoming these difficulties and establishing diplomatic relations with countries that have traditionally been friendly with North Korea, as well as establishing diplomatic relations with China, is a great achievement of northern diplomacy that has increased the influence of the Republic of Korea.
Although it has now emerged as a challenging factor in terms of economics, it goes without saying how much help China's manufacturing and its market have gained in internationalization. In particular, it would be a benefit of diplomatic relations between Korea and China to restore and expand Chinese tradition and our traditional humanities in terms of culture to provide a wider cultural territory to young people. One might say that among the dynamics of China’s national identity and framework, as well as Northeast Asian international relations, when animosity toward and envy of bilateral relations, competition, or checks occur, it is like a bug in fruit. However, considering that there are bugs because the fruit is sweet, it seems necessary to constantly develop ways to manage and improve bilateral relations to obtain better fruits.
Northern diplomacy is a strategy that uses method of 遠交近攻 (keeping your friends close and your enemies closer; a policy of befriending distant states and antagonizing neighbors) to improve inter-Korean issues and increase South Korea's diplomatic power. Among the Eastern European countries, diplomatic relations with Hungary were the first to be established. However, our frozen soil is the North Korean territory close to Seoul. Northern diplomacy is still in progress, given that harmony, exchange, and integration with them can be the source of northern diplomacy.
The fall of the Berlin Wall was a historical event that added momentum to northern diplomacy. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, South Korea's northern diplomacy was able to move away from diplomatic relations with the former Soviet Union and toward diplomatic relations with China. However, the road to Beijing was long and difficult. There was also a great wall called North Korea, and the domestic political situation in China is not easy to manage. However, it seems that my father knew the power of waiting'. He kept knocking on the door and hoping that they would take action. The 'Beijing Asian Games' also gave him a great opportunity. The exchanges between the two countries became a great driving force through cooperation based on real necessities. In addition, the bold support of the government and companies has been a great help in establishing diplomatic relations between Korea and China and have helped companies enter China.
However, the biggest conflict between Korea and China under the terms of diplomatic relations was the One China Policy that China wanted. It is said that diplomatic relations were visible only after overcoming this issue. The secret mission, which was ordered by the president, had to hold a final negotiation to resolve this issue in Diaoyutai. What brought them close at this time was the humanistic approach. Given that many problems and misunderstandings between Korea and China are still being resolved using the humanistic approach, it can be seen that historical and cultural ties between Korea and China are an important driving force for exchanges between the two countries in Eastern culture. At a drinking party together with a famous Chinese drink called "Moutai," Korean and Chinese diplomats revealed their feelings and coordinated their positions. The news spread to the Blue House as the "drunken talks" brought the two countries closer to each other and reached a final conclusion. It was a miracle of an era that changed Korea's history.
As my father passed away and I cleaned out his belongings, I found a "Moutai" that my father hd kept with its paper cover almost completely faded. My father considered diplomatic relations between Korea and China a great joy to him, so he saved and kept it as a ‘Sugyuju’(修交酒, liquor for commemorating the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and China)
Chengdu in Sichuan Province is the city that my father asked me to visit after his retirement. The famous story of the Three Kingdoms seems to show the process and history of the three Northeast Asian countries that go together. My father, who worked for "Northern Diplomacy," is now living in the Unification Garden near the 9th Division in Paju, where he worked, and is still looking at the North today.
I cannot judge my father. However, how much my father loved his country, the Republic of Korea, and was interested in establishing diplomatic relations between Korea and China could be seen in the instance when he woke up from laying in a hospital bed for the visit of Xing Haiming, who was dispatched to Korea in the early days of diplomatic relations and is now the Chinese ambassador to Korea. Establishing diplomatic relations between Korea and China is both up to the Korean people and to China. Leaders will have to maintain the mind of “Eumsosawon (飮水思源, when you drink water, remember it’s source),” so that the efforts of the two countries can really lead to a "people of one heart (民心相通, mutual understand).” When I see people who used to work with my father, I miss my father more, and when I step on the ground in China, I think that establishing diplomatic relations between Korea and China is feels even more important. As the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and China (August 24) is approaching, I miss my father all the more.