Seoul, Busan Cities Celebrate the Founding of China, but not the Foundation of South Korea’s Armed Forces

2019-9-27, Tara O

The City of Seoul is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). (32:34)  The City Council Hall has banners, photos, and booklets that celebrate the PRC’s founding on October 1, 1949.

October 1st has another significance.  North Korea crossed the 38th parallel on June 25, 1950, invading South Korea and taking most of the Korean Peninsula with the exception of the Busan perimeter, but the successful Incheon landing in September 1950 drove the North Korean forces northward.  On October 1, 1950, South Korean forces broke through the 38th parallel north, so it is also a meaningful day for South Korea. October 1st is also the day the South Korean Air Force, the third branch of the military, was formed, completing the formation of South Korea’s military.  With such significance, October 1st became South Korea’s Armed Forces Foundation Day. There does not, however, seem to be any sign of honoring and remembering South Korean Armed Forces at the Seoul City Council Hall.

This phrase is found on the poster on the left:

The Communist Party of China led the Chinese people and together they walked on a shiny path.  The ethnic Chinese people (Joonghwa Minjok) made a great leap by rising and becoming wealthy and strong!  China made a great leap by establishing, progressing, and completing its distinct socialism!

Anchor Choi Dae-heon (최대현) of PennMike asked “how can the City of Seoul hold such an event?” (33:30)  Yeo Myeong (여명), Seoul City Councilwoman, Liberty Korea Party, stated “I really wondered if [the City Council Hall] was North Korea…The day after tomorrow (September 28) is the day we recovered Seoul [1950, during the Korean War] with blood…If they thought about how the South Korean forces, who lost their lives to China’s forces, and about the Korean War…If they did, one doesn’t dare hold such an event, especially at the [public building of the] Seoul City Council.”  (33:35) She further stated that a city councilman of the Deobureo Minjoo Party (Democratic Party of Korea) gave permission to hold the event at the main hall.  (34:10) Yeo further stated:

President Moon Jae-in is a key example of pro-China in the Minjoo Party.  The free countries, including the U.S., are now coming together and are vigilant in the realm of diplomacy, security, and economy against China, but [South Korea] is the only country in which the president is in the forefront betraying our ally and trying to please China.

(34:58)

In Busan City, there was a banner across a pedestrian bridge congratulating People’s Republic of China’s 70th anniversary of its foundation.  The banner also showed the PRC flag. Busan City said “it’s not a problem because it went through the proper process” on September 24, 2019.

Meanwhile, Busan citizens commented:

• “How can they celebrate People’s Republic of China’s foundation, especially on the Armed Forces Foundation Day?  [China] fought against our military during the Korean War.”
• “How can they hang the PRC flag in Busan, where the joys and sorrows of the Korean War veterans of the UN and the Displaced Persons are resting?”
• “Are we China’s vassal state?  Have we ever celebrated another country’s founding day?”

Good questions.  Seoul City Mayor Park Won-soon (박원순) and Busan City Mayor Oh Keo-don (오거돈) are both with the Deobureo Minjoo Party (Democratic Party of Korea).  The Deobureo Minjoo Party signed an agreement with China’s Communist Party in July 2019.  Park Won-soon had compared South Korea to a fly and China to a horse in the past, when he said “A fly can travel a long distance if it sticks tightly to a horse’s rear end.” President Moon Jae-in, of course, has committed South Korea to China’s demand of “3 Nos” of 1) no additional Theater High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) deployment, 2) no joining of the U.S. missile defense system, and 3) no South Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral alliance.

With views and actions like that, it is not surprising that the ruling party sponsors or approves celebrations in South Korea of China’s founding day and dishonors those who fought in the Korean War to defend South Korea against Chinese and North Korean forces.  The South Korean public, however, is dismayed.