China admits to retaliation against THAAD deployment

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, talks with Rep. Song Young-gil of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, Wednesday. Song led six other lawmakers to visit China for talks on the planned deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi virtually admitted Wednesday that his country committed retaliatory actions against South Korea for its planned deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here.

Wang also reiterated calls for Seoul to halt the deployment of the advanced U.S. anti-missile defense system during a meeting with seven lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in Beijing. The lawmakers, led by Rep. Song Young-gil, are in China for a three-day visit amid the deepening diplomatic row between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment.

In response to the lawmakers’ request to lift China’s retaliatory actions including its ban on K-pop and K-drama stars as well as on bilateral exchanges and cooperation, Wang was quoted as saying, “The Chinese government will make efforts to resolve this conflict if the deployment is put on hold.”

The comment was construed as his acknowledgement that the Chinese government has systematically retaliated, although it has never officially said so.

Popular South Korean entertainers have been virtually banned from performing in China since late last year. Beijing also abruptly banned South Korean airlines from operating chartered flights between the two countries beginning this month.

Wang said that China does not want relations with South Korea to move backward, but it would be unimaginable for the country to say it wants to expand relations when Seoul intends to accelerate the THAAD deployment, according to the lawmakers.

When Seoul and Washington announced the THAAD deployment decision in July last year, they said the deployment would be completed by the end of this year.

But they have recently indicated that the deployment will be finished sooner than expected. USFK Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks said last November the battery would be installed in eight to 10 months to counter growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea. Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun noted, based on the U.S. general’s comment, “The deployment can be completed in June at the earliest.”

Beijing has ramped up its criticism of THAAD, repeating that the deployment will undermine regional stability and its security interests.

Wang said that Chinese leaders are trying to understand South Korea’s security interests, and hope South Korea will also consider China’s security.

“I hope the process to accelerate the deployment will stop,” he was quoted as saying. “China and South Korea should put their heads together to find a solution.”

Wang also told the lawmakers that Beijing resolutely opposed the North’s nuclear and missile programs, and had adopted U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions, rejecting criticism that the country was not doing its part properly in resolving the issue.

In response, the South Korean government made it clear that the deployment will go forward as planned, stressing that it was a sovereign decision based on the right of self-defense.

Moon said, “We will continue to push for the deployment under our sovereign right.”

For its part, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called in Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong, Thursday, and delivered Seoul’s position over the retaliatory moves.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se told reporters, Monday, that the government has reviewed measures to respond to China’s retaliation, saying that it will make the necessary response after analyzing the intention and characteristics of the actions.

Meanwhile, conservative politicians condemned the opposition lawmakers’ visit to China, downplaying it as “humiliating diplomacy” and an “unpatriotic act”

Rep. Yoo Seong-min, a presidential hopeful from the newly created New Conservative Party for Reform, said that the seven lawmakers’ talks with Beijing are tantamount to “betrayal.”

“The THAAD system is needed to protect the lives of our people. It is related to the sovereignty of South Korea,” he said, adding that the defense of the people cannot be negotiated with any country.

“If we take such a step, China will continue to infringe upon our sovereignty in other cases,” Yoo said.

The ruling Saenuri Party called on the opposition parties to come up with better alternatives to defend against North Korea’s missile threats.