A rally that calls for South Korea to re-establish diplomatic with the Republic of China (R.O.C.), Taiwan’s official name, was held in Seoul on Wednesday morning, marking the 30th anniversary since Seoul cut official ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing.
The rally, organized by a South Korea-based online news outlet, Media Watch, was held in front of the Taipei Mission in Seoul, Taiwan’s de facto embassy in the country in the absence of official diplomatic ties, and was attended by a dozen supporters.
Speaking to CNA, Media Watch CEO Byun Hee-jae said even though the new South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is widely considered to be more pro-United States than his predecessor Moon Jae-in, he is apparently still reluctant to address the highly sensitive Taiwan issue and very much afraid of angering China in this regard.
Yoon was previously criticized for opting not to cut his holiday short and meet U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with some accusing him of not wanting to antagonize Beijing following Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
Byun, a senior journalist and political pundit, told CNA that as anti-China sentiment has spread over the past few years in the U.S., Europe, Japan and other like-minded countries that are allies of South Korea, he believes Seoul should consider re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taipei because both share similar democratic values.
Although it might take some time to realize the goal, Byun believes such an effort should start in the private sector before gradually expanding to official exchanges between the two governments.
Currently only 14 states around the world have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Media Watch held its first rally calling for the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2019. Later in the same year, the media outlet invited former R.O.C. Vice President Annette Lu (???) to give a speech in Seoul on the issue.
Media Watch did not hold a rally in 2020 or 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic but held seminars instead.
Official diplomatic relations between South Korea and the Republic of China (Taiwan) were severed on Aug. 23, 1992, following South Korea’s recognition of the People’s Republic of China.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel