S. Korea-China - relations on downhill following THAAD deployment decision: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 7 Mar 2017

한중 밀월관계, 사드 배치로 양국 외교관계 중대한 기로에 서다

Twists and turns in current South Korea-China relations, all seemingly leading to 'worse' by the day.
To get a deeper understanding of their bilateral relations and the ongoing THAAD row, we have our foreign affairs ministry correspondent Connie Kim in the studio.

Connie how significant is the current heightened tensions between the two countries?

South Korea and China's relations reached their peak when President Park Geun-hye attended a war victory ceremony in China in 2015. 

But this came to a downhill after Seoul and Washington decided to deploy the U.S.-missile defense system THAAD to the Korean peninsula after North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January of last year.

China has been objecting the deployment of such system under the reasoning that the THAAD powerful radar could interfere with Chinese regional interest and national security.

Soon after the South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group approved a land swap with Seoul's defense ministry last week, enabling the base where the THAAD battery will be stationed,… China's unofficial retaliatory measures started rattling South Korea first on Lotte group, then to the travel industry and now seemingly to other industries as well. 

While there have been various reports that China has made the orders verbally, Beijing for now is officially denying that the government is involved. 

I was able to get a hold of a professor at the China Institute of International Studies where he echoed the government's stance and said such responses are a quick response from the Chinese public. "This is really hard to say there is strong sentiment against ROK. This is actually a response to the deployment of the THAAD in the ROK.// I think the Chinese people are very clever to understand the significance or meaning of the statement by the government. Generally speaking I don't think the Chinese government gave any announcement to take sanction against the ROK but the people voluntarily gave the response to the decision made by the ROK government."

While Seoul stands firm on its stance to deploy THAAD, Beijing keeps voicing a strong opposition regarding the deployment adn the South Korean government.

What are the prospects for the future bilateral relations?

China has escalated its level of warning to South Korea on Monday as Seoul and Washington began installing parts of THAAD. 

Beijing's foreign minstry said that it solemnly objects Seoul and Washington's THAAD deployment and will resolutely take necessary actions in order to safeguard its security interests.... and added any consequences to follow the necessary actions should be bore by the two allies. As to the latest in the South Korean government's response to China's apparent sanctions, Seoul's foreign ministry in a regular press briefing said the government will support companies that have been affected by China's measures and it is considering raising the issue on the international stage and respond legally,... if necessary, to violations of the WTO and Seoul-Beijing Free Trade Agreement.

Most importantly, Seoul reiterated its stance that the primary reason for the THAAD deployment is the North's missile threats. "Seoul and Washington's decision came as North Korea's nuclear and missile threat exists, getting larger and imminent. There is no other purpose in this decision as it came in line with the Seoul-Washington alliance and according to priority.

While standing consistent, there are voices that Seoul and Washington must use diverse channels to explain the necessity of the THAAD deployment and calm Beijing's anger.