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Assault case overshadows Korea-Sino ties

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A Chinese security guard circled in red kicks a Korean photojournalist in the face in these screenshots provided by No Cut News, Thursday. / Courtesy of No Cut News
A Chinese security guard circled in red kicks a Korean photojournalist in the face in these screenshots provided by No Cut News, Thursday. / Courtesy of No Cut News

By Jun Ji-hye

The assault of two South Korean photojournalists, who were following President Moon Jae-in's state visit to China, by Chinese guards, Thursday, is expected to pour cold water on burgeoning efforts to restore bilateral relations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its regret over what happened in Beijing, saying it has strongly asked the Chinese government to conduct a thorough investigation into the assault.

"We also asked China to take necessary countermeasures," said ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk during a briefing in Seoul.

President Moon is paying a four-day state visit to China that began Wednesday. The incident took place just hours before a summit between Moon and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to a fellow photojournalist who claimed he witnessed the assault, Chinese security guards, who were at the South Korean-Chinese trade fair in Beijing, prevented South Korean journalists from following Moon during the event. While they were protesting, two photojournalists were actually assaulted, the witness said, adding that injuries to one of them were severe as he was attacked by at least 15 guards.

The witness added that two officials from Cheong Wa Dae who tried to stop the physical confrontation were also pushed away violently.

It is still unknown whether the assaulters were private security guards or personnel belonging to the Chinese police.

The unexpected incident came amid growing expectations that Moon's third summit with Xi could finally improve Seoul-Beijing relations that had been strained following South Korea's decision in July of last year to host a U.S. missile defense system.

China protested the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, saying the battery seriously harmed the country's national interest. It took economic and cultural retaliation against Seoul for more than a year although South Korea and the United States told the system is designed only to defend against incoming ballistic missiles from North Korea.

On Oct. 31, Seoul and Beijing agreed to work together to restore relations in all sectors. Moon then met with Xi and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang during a tour of Southeast Asian countries last month, and made efforts to repair the two countries' trade and economic relations.

Other journalists who are following Moon's state tour to Beijing as well as those in Seoul are enraged by the assault, with one journalist covering the foreign ministry saying that he never heard of journalists following a president's state visit to a foreign country being assaulted in that country.

Spokesman Noh said the government needs to confirm more details to decide what measures will be taken regarding the incident.



Jun Ji-hye jjh@koreatimes.co.kr


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