Vice Minister Wu Dawei Visits Korea

“China, who has tied the knot, must untie it.”

The government had insisted on Wu Dawei, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, to discuss Goguryeo when he covertly visited Korea on August 22.

It was China who deleted Goguryeo from its Web page and broke the agreement not to make the matter political, and solve it academically between the two countries.

It is known that both countries see the settlement of the matter as important to the future of both countries, which, on August 24, will mark the 12th anniversary since the treaty of amity was signed. However, conflicts exist over the actual solution.

The Chinese government has asked Wu’s visit to be perfectly secluded from the press. An official of the Korean government said, “Visiting secluded from the press shows that he has a strong will to settle the matter diplomatically. If the Goguryeo matter can be solved, the government can put an end to the criticism from the domestic press.”

In the morning, Vice Minister Wu went to visit Choi Young-jin, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through an underground parking lot instead of the lobby. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade tried to avoid the press by holding the meeting in a room on the 18th floor, instead of the meeting room on the 17th floor.

Wu’s reason for visiting Korea is to settle the problem before Za Qinglin, number four in the Chinese Communist Party and president of the Chinese People’s Political Conference, visits Korea on August 26.

Both the ruling and opposition parties criticized China for the Goguryeo problem, and formed a special committee in the Assembly. It will work as a great burden to President Za, who was invited by Kim One-ki, the chairman of the National Assembly to visit Korea, and who plans to meet the leaders of both the ruling and the opposition parties.

Ban Ki-moon, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said, “Vice Minister Wu’s visit to Korea is in preparation for President Za’s visit.”

It is also known that Wu suggested a solution in order not to make the matter political between Korea and China. The Korean government’s request to restore the deletion from the Web page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, and plans to revise the textbooks of elementary, middle, and high schools are included in the solution.

However, what the government is requesting to China is clear prevention policy not to falsify Goguryeo history on the governmental level. It was said that it was hard to make an agreement between the countries over this matter.

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com