Foreign media differ on reunions

The Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel in Seoul has been the center of world attention for the past few days, as it is crowded with hundreds of reporters from more than 100 newspaper and broadcasting companies from 16 countries.

The reporters engaged in a hectic competition in covering the event of the century, namely the reunions of families separated between South and North Korea for half a century, at the Press Center of the deluxe hotel. Yet the news media of the four powers surrounding the Korean peninsula showed delicate differences in views of the event, while reporting the touching and heart-breaking news. The four powers -- the United States, Russia, China and Japan -- are not totally free from the responsibility for the tragedy of the national division as the direct or indirect parties involved in the Korean War.

Unexpectedly, Chinese news media were most active in reporting the human dramas form Seoul. State-run CCTV, People`s Daily, Chinese Radio International, Xinhua News Agency and others were busy reporting the Seoul-datelined ¡°tearful stories¡± every day.

¡°We do not report negative news in consideration of the position of China hoping for the unification on the Korean peninsula,¡± Chen Junchai, chief of Seoul branch of the CRI, said Wednesday. He explained that he would not write sensational stories because the current tricky atmosphere for reconciliation should not be hurt.

It was the U.S. media paradoxically that could not accept readily the sudden mood for reconciliation. The Washington Post on August 14 reported that it was premature to accept the reconciliatory gesture by Kim Jong-Il in light of his past deeds. The Los Angeles Times, renowned for its analysis stories, only focused on the tearful family history without referring to the fundamental problems, such as the cause of the division.

The Japanese media -- the largest contingent at the event with 219 reporters from 27 companies -- were trying to keep cool, apparently mindful of the possibility for the establishment of diplomatic ties between North Korea and Japan. However, many Japanese reports Wednesday concentrated on the allegation that North Korean authorities included defectors from South Korea who made a success in North Korea in the list of the visitors, raising a possibility for the event`s change in nature.

As for Russia, no press institutions of the very behind-the-scenes party of the Korean War registered at the Press Center. They made brief reports only about the reunions.