 China guards beat S. Korean journalist covering Moon visit Beijing (AFP) Dec 14, 2017 - Chinese security personnel beat and severely injured a South Korean photojournalist covering President Moon Jae-In's visit to Beijing on Thursday, media groups said. The scuffle took place hours before Moon met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in an attempt to ease tensions over the US deployment of a missile defence system in South Korea. The incident occurred at a Beijing convention centre during the opening ceremony of a trade partnership event attended by Moon, who began his four-day state visit on Wednesday. South Korean photographers protested after security personnel stopped them from following Moon's delegation. The guards then grabbed one photographer by the neck and threw him to the floor, and seized another's camera, according to the Korea Press Photographers Association (KPPA). When the guards tried to block journalists from entering another event hall, even though they showed identity cards, a photographer surnamed Lee objected. More than 15 Chinese guards surrounded Lee and "punched him repeatedly, before even kicking him on the face after he was knocked to the floor," the KPPA said in a statement, calling the incident an "unimaginable act". The encounter left him with a bloody nose, a severe injury to his right eye, nausea and dizziness. Officials from the South Korean presidential office and other reporters tried to stop the incident "to no avail", the association added. South Korea's KBS News aired footage showing men in suits dragging and grappling with an unidentified journalist as bystanders shouted "stop, stop, stop" in English and an expletive in Korean. "Who would have thought that state officials could beat up reporters from a partner country like this at a national event attended by head of state, which is neither a warzone nor a violent protest site," the KPPA said. "Is this Chinese-style etiquette to invite guests and beat them up in your living room?" - 'Completely unacceptable' - Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular press briefing that while the trade show had been organised by the South Korean side, "if someone is hurt, of course we are concerned about that." Both countries had made "meticulous preparations" for Moon's China trip "with the same goal in mind, which is that we want to make sure that this visit is very successful," Lu said. "We hope it's just a minor incident." The Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) said it was "concerned" about the incident, which follows several reports of journalists being subjected to violence while reporting in the country this year. "Violence against journalists is completely unacceptable, and the FCCC calls on the Chinese government to investigate and address the incident," it said in a statement. The guards may have been hired by the event's South Korean organisers, the country's Yonhap news agency cited an official as saying, but were still accountable to the Chinese police. South Korean officials have lodged a complaint and demanded a formal apology from China, Yonhap added. "We made an agreement with China's public security ahead of the event that the press will have access to all ... movement of the president," a South Korean official was quoted as saying by the Joongang Ilbo newspaper. "But China made an arbitrary decision to block our press, which led to this preposterous disaster," the official said.
|
The presidents of China and South Korea sought Thursday to repair ties strained over a US anti-missile defence system, but the beating of a South Korean photojournalist by Chinese security cast a pall over the summit.
Relations between Beijing and Seoul have been icy since South Korea allowed the United States to install the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system to guard against threats from North Korea.
China considers THAAD a threat to its own security, and has imposed economic measures against South Korean companies in a move seen as retaliation.
South Korean President Moon Jae-In and Chinese leader Xi Jinping signalled their willingness to improve relations as they met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi said Moon's first state visit to Beijing was an "important opportunity to improve relations as we seek to find ways to carve a better path based on mutual respect and trust."
The Chinese president said he was willing to "step up" communication and coordination with Moon, stating that "we shall deepen the connection and accurately navigate the bilateral relationship."
He added the two countries could also support each other and increase cooperation as they prepared for their respective Winter Olympic games, to be hosted in Pyeongchang next year and in Beijing in 2022.
Moon praised Xi, calling him a "very sincere and reliable leader in terms of both words and behaviour".
China and South Korea were "partners set by destiny to walk the path of mutual prosperity and cooperate for world peace", he said, while acknowledging the recent "temporary difficulties".
- North Korea talks? -
Improving Sino-Korean ties has become increasingly important amid growing concern that bellicose rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang could spark war on the Korean peninsula.
The two leaders met amid mixed US signals that Washington is willing to hold talks with Pyongyang.
"As friendly neighbours and strategic partners, China and South Korea have broad common interests in keeping the region peaceful," Xi said.
Moon noted that he expected to "reaffirm and discuss specific cooperation" with Xi on the issue.
Their meeting came after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Washington was ready to talk to North Korea "without preconditions", though it was determined to force Pyongyang to give up its nuclear arsenal.
China and Russia welcomed Tillerson's remarks, even after the White House appeared to put his proposal in question by saying Trump's "views on North Korea have not changed."
- Injured journalist -
Hours before the summit, Chinese security personnel beat and severely injured a South Korean photojournalist covering Moon's attendance at a trade partnership event, according to the Korea Press Photographers Association (KPPA).
Security blocked South Korean photographers from following his delegation, grabbing one photographer by the neck and throwing him to the ground, then seized another's camera, the KPPA said.
When the Chinese guards again tried to block journalists from entering another event hall, even though they showed identity cards, a photographer surnamed Lee objected.
More than 15 guards surrounded him and "punched him repeatedly, before even kicking him on the face after he was knocked to the floor," leaving him with a bloody nose, a severe injury to his right eye, nausea and dizziness, the KPPA said in a statement.
South Korean officials lodged a complaint and demanded a formal apology from China, the Yonhap news agency said.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang voiced concern over what he said he hoped was "just a minor incident".
Both countries had made "meticulous preparations" for Moon's trip "with the same goal in mind, which is that we want to make sure that this visit is very successful", Lu told a regular press briefing.
bur-dly-rld/lth/amu
|
|
Tweet |
Kim vows to 'win victory in the showdown' with US
|
|
|
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Google
