South Koreans, Chinese differ on way of handling NK defectors

Most of South Koreans think that the North Korean defectors in China should be treated in accordance with their free will while many Chinese say that the defectors should be sent back to the North, it was learned last week.

It was revealed in a survey conducted recently by The AsiaN in cooperation with the Asia Journalist Association (AJA) on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishement of diplomatic relationship between South Korea and China on 128 Korean and Chinese scholars and journalists (Korean; 74, Chinese; 54).

On the matter of how to deal with the North Korean defectors in China, 73 percent of Koreans, polled, replied that thsy should be handled in accordance with their free will and 18 percent among Korean respondents said they should be settled in South Korea.

Meanwhile, 37 percent of Chinese queried said that they should be sent back to North Korea while 37 percent of other Chinese thought that they have to be treated in accordance with their free will, according to the survey.

Asked about whether or not South Korea-Chinese releations are influenced by North Korean affairs, 82 percent of Koreans and 74 percent of Chinese polled said yes.

On the question of “how do you evaluate the current relationship between South Korea and China in recent days,” 62 percent of Korean respondents thought it “average” while 48 percent of Chinese said to be “good.”

Asked about what has caused the biggest influence in the Korea-Chinese relationship in the last 20 years, many of both Koreans and Chinese respondents pointed out the North Korean nuclear test. To go into detail, 27 percent of Koreans selected nuclear test and 24 percent of other Koreans chose  the so-called “China’s Northeast Project,” a recent of move of Chinese government to distort ancient history of Korean peninsula with a view to making ancient Korean kingdoms being part of China.

In case of Chinese respondents, 27 percent pointed out the NK nuclear test and only 7 percent of them selected the China’s Northeast Project as a big issue.

The largest number of Chinese or 39 percent of them took up “difference of opinion on ethnic problem” as the issue which caused the biggest influence between the two countries. Meanwhile, only 8 percent of Koreans choce it as a big issue.

Noteworthy fact was that 23 percent of Koreans selected the death of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jung-il as the issue that caused the biggest influence while none of Chinese took up the death of two leaders as an issue.

As to the question of when South Korea and China are expected to sign the FTA, 35 percent of Koreans replied three years and 39 percent of them said to be five years while 28 percent of Chinese said three years and 30 percent of other Chinese five years. In addition to that, 33 percent of Chinese refused to give specific answer to the question.

Asked about what is the most crucial task needed to further develop bilateral relationship in the years ahead, 38 percent of Koreans selected expansion of political cooperation, other 27 percent improvement of inter-Korean relations while 35 percent of Chinese took up expansion of non-governmental diplomacy including vitalization of cultural exchange and 26 percent of other Chinese chose improvement of economy and trade between the two countries.

 According to the survey, most of the Korean and Chinese respondentents were learned to be positive on the need for “East Asia Community,” similiar to EU, 61 percent of Koreans replied either needed or very much needed. It was three times higher than those who replied not needed or least needed. In case Chinese, 55 percent said either needed or very much needed while 34 percent others replied either not needed or least needed.

Park So-hye fristar@theasian.asia