Passage of Hong Kong Security Law... Korean Government Expresses Concern, Emphasizes Importance of High Degree of Autonomy under One Country, Two Systems

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Regarding the passage of China's Hong Kong National Security Law (Hong Kong Security Law), the South Korean government has effectively expressed concerns.

Kim In-cheol, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained at a regular briefing on the 30th, "Hong Kong is an important region with close human and economic exchanges with us," adding, "The government is paying close attention to the trends related to the adoption of the Hong Kong Security Law and its future impact."

He also stated, "The government respects the contents of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration," and added, "It is important that Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy under the One Country, Two Systems principle while maintaining stability and development, in accordance with the Joint Declaration and the Hong Kong Basic Law."

The 1984 Joint Declaration between China and the United Kingdom is based on the One Country, Two Systems principle, which guarantees Hong Kong's autonomy and maintains the existing system for 50 years after Hong Kong's return to China in 1997. In response, the UK and the US have opposed this, arguing that it weakens the principle of One Country, Two Systems and violates the obligations specified in the Joint Declaration.

Earlier, on the 29th (local time), the US Department of Commerce announced that it had revoked Hong Kong's special treatment just before the passage of the Hong Kong Security Law and is considering additional measures. US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross stated in a statement that "the Department of Commerce's regulations granting Hong Kong preferential treatment, such as export license exceptions, have been suspended." The Department of Commerce also added that additional measures are being considered to eliminate Hong Kong's special treatment, including suspending exports of US defense articles to Hong Kong and exports of technologies aimed at both civilian and military use.

The US Department of State also hinted at strong sanctions. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "The Chinese Communist Party's decision to deprive Hong Kong of its freedom has led us to reassess our policy toward Hong Kong." Following his warning on the 26th that visas would be restricted for Chinese officials responsible for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy, Pompeo also referred to a report stating that China has carried out forced sterilizations, abortions, and family planning on Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also stated at a regular press conference that morning, "Our country's consistent position is to value Hong Kong maintaining a free and open system under 'One Country, Two Systems' and developing democratically and stably," and pointed out, "The enactment of the Hong Kong Security Law undermines trust in the principle of One Country, Two Systems."

On the other hand, China views the US opposition to the Hong Kong Security Law as interference in internal affairs and holds the position that the law sufficiently reflects the opinions of various sectors in Hong Kong and corresponds to the actual situation in Hong Kong. China's state-run Global Times stated in an editorial titled "The Hong Kong Security Law Will Be a New Start for Hong Kong" that "The Hong Kong Security Law will not change the way of life of Hong Kong people nor deprive any legal rights, including freedom of the press."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.