Government Issues Stern Warning to Chinese Embassy: "Must Respect Host Country Sentiments"

[Asia Economy Reporters Inho Yoo and Jieun Lee] Regarding the concerns expressed by the Embassy of China in Korea about anti-China sentiment, our government stated on the 10th, "(The Chinese Embassy) should exercise special caution by respecting the host country's circumstances and sentiments."

Although the government did not directly target the Chinese government, being mindful of relations with China, it is interpreted as having issued a stern warning to the embassy considering the domestic anti-China sentiment.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 10th, the government sought to understand the intent behind the statement posted on the Chinese Embassy’s social media accounts the previous day through the Northeast Asia Division 1, which is responsible for China, and decided to release a position on the Chinese Embassy after discussions with relevant parties.

In this regard, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Choi Young-sam said at a regular briefing that afternoon, “Regarding the statement from the Embassy of China in Korea yesterday, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue necessary communications in line with this position.”

Earlier, on the 9th, the Chinese Embassy spokesperson posted a statement on the embassy’s social media accounts criticizing some Korean media and politicians for their criticism of the Chinese government and the Beijing Winter Olympics short track speed skating judgment. The statement said, "Some Korean media and politicians criticized the Chinese government and the entire Beijing Olympics, even inciting anti-China sentiment, worsening the feelings between the two peoples and provoking counterattacks from Chinese netizens."

In response, a Foreign Ministry official said, "We will convey a message to the Chinese Embassy that, basically, when the embassy publicly expresses positions on host country media reports or politicians’ remarks, it should exercise special caution by respecting the host country’s circumstances and sentiments," adding, "Active efforts are needed to foster friendly relations between Korea and China and among the peoples of both countries."

The government’s stern warning to the Chinese Embassy is interpreted as being mindful of the rising anti-China sentiment domestically triggered by the Beijing Olympics.

Even within the Blue House, there is a recognition that the public’s anti-China sentiment is significant.

The previous day, President Moon Jae-in sent a congratulatory message to Hwang Dae-heon, the first gold medalist of the Beijing Olympics, saying, "You won the first gold medal that no one could take away with overwhelming skill. It is a great achievement that blew away the unfairness of the 1000m event in one shot."

While this was partly to comfort Hwang for his elimination due to biased judgment, it also appears to consider the public sentiment angered by China’s partial judgment. A Blue House official also stated on the same day regarding the biased judgment, "We understand the public’s upset feelings well," which aligns with this context.

In diplomatic circles, there are concerns that anti-China sentiment will deepen after the Beijing Olympics, potentially cooling Korea-China relations. Given the difficulty in finding a balance in diplomacy toward the U.S. and China amid U.S.-China conflicts, a cooling of Korea-China relations could trigger adverse effects in various fields such as politics, economy, and culture.

Professor Kim Han-kwon of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy said, "In the future, confrontations arising from cultural clashes, differences in values and systems between Korea and China will appear as a long-term pattern."

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