(Central News Agency reporter Dai Yazhen, Tokyo, 21st) The South Korean Congress was originally scheduled to organize a delegation to visit China this month. It was reported that the Chinese Embassy in South Korea directly "named" two congressmen and asked them to be removed from the list of visitors. Coincidentally, both of them visited Taiwan this year. Some diplomats pointed out that Beijing's move may be "killing a chicken to scare the monkey", thereby warning other members of Congress who are interested in communicating with Taiwan.
The Chosun Ilbo reported that 15 cross-party members of the South Korean National Assembly’s Climate, Energy and Environment Labor Committee were originally scheduled to go to Beijing for a four-day and three-night visit starting from the 19th. The trip included a visit to China’s large-scale robot event "2026 World Robot Conference" (WRC) and meetings with relevant Chinese government officials.
South Korean members of Congress hold official passports and do not need to apply for additional visas when traveling to China in principle. However, Congress still must coordinate relevant visit itineraries with China.
The report pointed out that according to sources, the Chinese Embassy in South Korea expressed to the South Korean National Assembly earlier this month that it hoped to exclude Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the National Power Party, and Kwak Sang-yeon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, from the list. After that, the trip was eventually canceled due to many problems such as flights.
Relevant sources in the Congress said that China did not explain the specific reasons for excluding the two congressmen, but only told them that it would be "difficult to visit China."
It is worth noting that the two congressmen who were refused visits by China have traveled to Taiwan this year.
Earlier this year, Kim Ki-hyun visited Taiwan for three days and two nights as the president of the Asian Parliamentarians Alliance for Human Rights, during which he met with Foreign Minister Lin Jialong and others. Guo Xiangyan visited Taiwan in June this year, met with Wu Zhizhong, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and expressed support for strengthening exchanges between South Korea and the capital of Taiwan.
During Guo Xiangyan's visit to Taiwan, the Chinese government emphasized the "one China" principle and publicly expressed dissatisfaction with relevant exchanges. Therefore, China's request to exclude the two people from the visiting delegation this time is also considered to be related to their trip to Taiwan.
Although South Korea suspended formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan after establishing diplomatic relations with China, the two sides still set up representative offices in each other and maintained personnel, economic and trade exchanges. There is also the "Korea-Taiwan Parliamentarians Friendship Association" in the South Korean Congress to continue to promote exchanges between the two sides.
According to the report, some people in South Korea's diplomatic circles described China's move as "killing the chicken to scare the monkeys." By refusing to allow some congressmen to visit China, it would put pressure on other politicians interested in communicating with Taiwan.
In a telegram interview with Chosun Ilbo, Kim Ki-hyun criticized that this visit was not a private visit, but a formal political discussion event at the National Assembly Standing Committee level, but "the Chinese government intervened and blocked it."
Kwak Sang-yeon also said that China's actions were tantamount to "evaluating and interfering in the political deliberations of members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea." He has submitted a letter of protest to the Chinese Embassy in South Korea, but has received no reply.
When faced with media inquiries, the Chinese Embassy in South Korea simply stated that it had "nothing to answer."
In fact, China has refused or delayed the issuance of visas to South Korean members of Congress in the past due to sensitive issues such as Taiwan or human rights.
In 2004, 10 opposition party congressmen planned to go to China to inspect the historical sites of Goguryeo. China delayed their visas for a time. The outside world believed that it was related to the fact that some congressmen had previously attended the inauguration ceremony of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian. In 2012, Congressman Park Sun-young, who actively opposed China's forced repatriation of North Korean defectors to North Korea, was also denied a visa by China.
