IMPACT OF OLYMPICS ON ROK VIEWS TOWARD CHINA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SEOUL 002016 SENSITIVE SIPDIS D (LEE, KAYE) AND S/P (GREEN, JAMES) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KS SUBJECT: IMPACT OF OLYMPICS ON ROK VIEWS TOWARD CHINA REF: A. STATE 105512 ¶B. SEOUL 01681 (ROK RELATIONS WITH CHINA) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Ref A requested an assessment of the effect that China's hosting of the Olympic Games had on Korean views of China. The Korean public avidly followed the Korean Olympic team's historic success as it placed seventh in the overall medal count and second among Asian countries. There was in the press, nonetheless, a conspicuous storyline on what the Games revealed about China and its relationships with its neighbors. To Korea's consternation, China played to the historic stereotype of a nationalistic, anti-Korean Chinese public rooting for Korea's opponents. Koreans acknowledged China's managerial skills hosting the Games, but many seemed to conclude that China lacked the political and civic maturity to be a leading global power. Despite misgivings awakened by the Olympics, Korea has no choice but to continue developing its already close ties to China, ties that in the context of geography and centuries of history are on a course practically impervious to the 2008 Olympics. End Summary. -------------- -------------- How closely did the public follow the Beijing Olympic Games? -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) According to a survey of thirty-seven countries carried out by the Nielsen Company on September 18, South Korea ranked first with 94.3 percent of the total population tuning in to watch the Beijing Olympic Games between August 8-24. Korean interest in watching the Games was no doubt fueled by Korea's best ever Olympic performance: Korea took seventh place in the overall medal count and second place in Asia, behind China and ahead of Japan. All four major networks carried the games, often at the same time. -------------- -------------- How were China and the Games portrayed in the local media? Mostly as a sporting competition, or did coverage touch on changes in China, discussion of human rights, or China's position in the world, or none of the above? -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Koreans were genuinely interested in the Games as a sporting competition--in no small part due to the success of Korea's Olympic team--and the local media covered the games as a sporting event. But China's position in the world, particularly vis-a-vis Korea, was a conspicuous sub-plot that 
Koreans anxiously followed. ¶4. (SBU) The 1988 Olympic Games, hosted by Korea during its transformation from dictatorship to democracy, are widely regarded as a turning point in terms of Korea's development as a political democracy and economic powerhouse. Koreans, therefore, were inclined to project a great deal of potential significance onto China's role as host and wondered whether the 2008 Games would mark a similar turning point for China as it did for Korea in 1988. ¶5. (SBU) In the lead up to the 2008 Games, the South Korean press focused on the upsurge in Chinese nationalism. In particular, press reports focused on the government's role in preparing for the Games, efforts to clean up Beijing, and restrictions on travel to China. The Korean press generally interpreted the Chinese preparations as a government obsession stemming from a hope to use the Games to mark the political, economic, and cultural revival of China as a global power. ¶6. (SBU) Korean perceptions of the Games and China took a negative turn, however, when, during the April 27 torch run, thousands of Chinese students waving red communist flags filled the streets of downtown Seoul. One government official described the students as a "mob invading Korea." Some of these students were engaged in acts of violence directed at Korean police and human rights activists demonstrating on behalf of Tibet. ¶7. (SBU) Newspaper editorials used harsh language to condemn the behavior of the Chinese supporters. Moderate daily JoongAng Ilbo said the Chinese protestors' "violent rallies" "once again" portrayed the PRC as a country "not quite developed" on the international stage. Center-left daily Hankyoreh criticized the Chinese for "excessively excited" behavior which caused "damage to China's dignity." Citing Korean bloggers, the conservative daily Chosun Ilbo lambasted SEOUL 00002016 002 OF 003 the Chinese people's "lawless, irrational, and beastlike" "riotous behavior" and declared the PRC lacks the "conscience" and "common sense" of a nation worthy of hosting the Olympics. ¶8. (SBU) The torch run incident sparked a rancorous blogging war of sorts between Korean and Chinese netizens arguing over ownership of common culture and historical traditions. The situation in Tibet fed anxiety about China's fitness as a regional or global power. Then a few days before the opening ceremony, a Korean television network, SBS, released footage of the opening ceremony rehearsals--outraging Chinese citizens. ¶9. (SBU) Once the Games started, Chinese fans often enthusiastically supported Korea's opponents. Chinese fans even cheered for Japan in its baseball match with Korea. On August 27, the center-left daily Hankyoreh ran a story headlined "Anti-Korean Sentiment Spreads through China" which explored possible explanations for Chinese fans rooting against Korea in the games. -------------- -------------- Was Beijing city or China seen as modern, wealthy, developed? Portrayed as an economic threat or opportunity? -------------- -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Koreans generally thought that China did an impeccable job managing the Olympics. But there was also the sense that China tried too hard and acted as if it had something to hide, according to one government official and China watcher. For example, too much effort was made to clean up Beijing by evicting small merchants and migrant workers, as if the Chinese government did not want the outside world to know that these people existed. ¶11. (SBU) The resulting impression was that China erected a facade of development, illustrated by the fake fireworks and lip-syncing school girl singing the national anthem. But to become a leading global country, more is needed than economic development, one government official said. The most important result of the 1988 Olympics for Korea was the development of Korea's political system. It is not clear to the Korean public that Chinese citizens will be so motivated. -------------- -------------- Did the Olympics change Korea's approach to dealing with China? -------------- -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Since establishing diplomatic ties with China in 1992, the ROK-PRC relationship has undergone tremendous development. The relationship is so important and runs so deep (Ref B) that, whatever anxieties might have been stirred by the Olympics, Koreans must continue to engage China. -- China is the ROK's biggest trading partner and the ROK is China's third biggest trading partner. Total bilateral trade last year totaled $145 billion and is growing at an annual rate of 20%. The ROK's annual bilateral trade with the U.S. and Japan combined is approximately $165 billion. -- China is Korea's most popular tourist destination. Last year 5 million Koreans visited China and 1 million Chinese traveled to Korea. -- Korean students comprise the largest number of foreign students in China, totaling more than a third of all foreign students. -- Between Korea and thirty Chinese cities, there are on average 113 flights per day. -------------- -------------- Have expectations of China's global role and position changed in the view of elites after the Games? -------------- -------------- ¶13. (SBU) Expectations of China have not changed, but in the aftermath of the Games a number of Korean academics and media outlets are engaged in retrospective analysis of the causes of anti-Korean sentiment in China. For example, the JoongAng Ilbo, a major South Korean daily, has started a campaign called "Approaching China with a Humble and Warm Heart." As one government official said, the 2008 Olympic Games reinforced many negative sentiments Koreans have about China SEOUL 00002016 003 OF 003 but Korea has no choice but to endeavor to put a good face on its relationship with China. STEPHENS