By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff reporter
Korea needs a better strategy to deal with China, an emerging superpower, in order to protect and promote its political and economic interests, experts say.
The sinking of the frigate Cheonan is a telling example that shows China using its trump card for North Korea at South Korea's expense, they said. But it is just one of many diplomatic failures by Seoul governments ― incumbent and past ― in handling Beijing.
"Have a look at the Navy vessel Cheonan case. The Korean government fluctuates between hope and fear, depending on China's responses," said a professor at a local university on condition of anonymity.
"The government was also very awkward in dealing with the origin of the foot-and-mouth disease. During the past decades, we have also witnessed Korea's low-key stance against China even when the former needs to step up. This should be changed."
A multinational investigation team, featuring experts from South Korea, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Sweden and Australia, concluded last week that the Cheonan sank on March 26 following a North Korean torpedo attack.
Most countries supported the announcement but China has yet to come up with its official stance. The nation, which is one of North Korea's few allies, had previously shown reservations to the general belief that Pyongyang was responsible for the Cheonan disaster that claimed the lives of 46 sailors.
The South Korean government is ready to come up with countermeasures including bringing the case to the United Nations Security Council because the unprovoked attack contravenes the armistice agreement signed at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
"Understandably, all eyes across the world are on China about the sunken frigate as it is already a substantive power. But Korea seems to be overly worried," the professor said.
"Seoul appears to be restless, fearing Beijing may side with the North in defiance of international pressure. It might have something to do with other low-profile steps taken against China thus far."
Korea's reluctant approach to China was also seen last week when the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MIFAFF) disclosed the result of its examination on how foot-and-mouth disease was introduced into the country.
The ministry learned that a farm owner who had traveled to China was responsible for the spread of the highly-contagious disease, which has led to the culling of around 50,000 animals since last month.
But the ministry disclosed the origin as just a Northeast Asian country instead of clarifying China.
"We worried about any potential diplomatic problems should we declare that all the hitches came from China. Hence, we opted to put it as a Northeast Asian nation," a ministry official said.
This is not the first time that Korea has been accused of dealing with China affairs in ways critics call "excessively modest" ― the country has received poor scores in trade conflicts with China.
"Ever since China has become the country's No. 1 trading partner, the export-driven Korean economy does not have the luxury of losing the huge Chinese market," a Seoul analyst said.
"That's why the Korean government is reluctant to clash with China even when food from the world's most populous country includes heavy metals."
China became South Korea's largest trading partner during the first decade of the new millennium, nudging past the perennial leader the U.S. In addition, bilateral trade with China continues to jump while that with the U.S. is dwindling.
Seoul sometimes tried to overcome its inferiority complex to China as shown by the safeguard measures of levying high tariffs on Chinese garlic a decade ago.
Midway through 2000, the erstwhile Kim Dae-jung administration cranked up tariffs on Chinese garlic from 30 percent to as high as 315 percent by 2003 to protect Korean farmers from cheap imports.
A week later, the Chinese government countered the move by banning imports of Korean cell phones. Seoul immediately backed off by cutting the tariffs after quick negotiations.
After the conflict, experts say that Korea avoided a head-on collision with China because the former realized that the playing field is not level ― the latter has many options to press Korea but not vice versa.