Declassified documents show N. Korea's strong backlash against growing S. Korea–China ties in mid-1990s

▲ This photo, taken Nov. 14, 1995, shows then Chinese President Jiang Zemin (L) holding summit talks with South Korean President Kim Young-sam during his visit to Seoul. (Yonhap)

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Declassified documents show N. Korea's strong backlash against growing S. Korea–China ties in mid-1990s

SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea sharply reacted to growing relations between South Korea and China in the mid-1990s, even threatening to establish formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in retaliation, declassified dossiers showed Tuesday.

Pyongyang's objection came as China was arranging its then leader Jiang Zemin's visit to Seoul for November 1995, three years after Beijing and Seoul established diplomatic ties in the post–Cold War era, a move that had angered the North, its traditional ally.

Diplomatic documents from 1995, released by the foreign ministry, revealed that the North had lashed out at China for drawing closer to the South in a June 1995 meeting of state think tank experts.

When the Chinese side voiced concerns over Pyongyang's approach to Taiwan at the time, North Korean experts reacted sharply by asking, "Why shouldn't North Korea develop relations with Taiwan when China and South Korea were engaging in high-level exchanges?" according to the dossiers.

The North Korean experts went on to warn that if Jiang visits South Korea in November as has been speculated, the North "would have no choice but to take certain measures in its relations with Taiwan" and may even be "compelled to consider establishing formal diplomatic ties," the documents showed.

The North also expressed displeasure over the developments in Seoul-Beijing relations when then Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan visited Pyongyang in June of that year, particularly regarding military exchanges.

In the lead-up to Jiang's visit to South Korea, China had considered arranging the trip to take place before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Osaka, Japan, so as not to provoke Pyongyang.

But the trip ultimately took place from Nov. 13–17, ahead of the APEC meeting after Seoul persuaded Beijing that North Korea's objections would persist regardless of whether the visit occurred before or after the forum.

The dossiers also offered a glimpse into how China put efforts into placating its ally, while it was preparing for Jiang's visit to Seoul.

In summit preparatory meetings, Beijing called for toning down the rhetoric in speeches on bilateral relations to avoid remarks that might upset North Korea.

At the summit, Jiang emphasized "balanced diplomacy," saying both South and North Korea were friends of China and that Beijing did not seek to lean toward either side.

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