Seoul`s veteran law revision causes Vietnam`s ire

Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan embarked on an unannounced weekend excursion to Vietnam on Sunday, just days before President Lee Myung-bak officially announced a trip that will take him to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand later this month.

The urgent agenda that forced the minister to drop everything at home and fly to Hanoi were "bilateral issues," sources said, namely plans to upgrade the diplomatic relationship to a "strategically cooperative partnership" from the current "comprehensive partnership."

Vietnam, to Seoul`s frustration, reportedly refused to agree to the upgrade.

Yu`s visit was therefore interpreted as a hasty attempt to appease the communist nation and coax it to agree to the strategic partnership when Lee makes his visit.

The main source of Vietnam`s fury was an upcoming law revision calling for better recognition for Vietnam War veterans for "contributing to the maintenance of global peace."

Hanoi reportedly took offense, saying the bill in essence was saying Vietnam undermined global peace.



The South Korean government is now planning to ax the Vietnam War from the revision.

"This was a wake-up call for Seoul because the (revision) was really the last straw for Vietnam," said another source requesting anonymity. "There were more instances in the past where Vietnam was repelled by Seoul`s condescending attitude," said another source requesting anonymity.

Foreign Ministry officials conceded that the government should have been more "sensitive" toward Vietnam.

Seoul currently has significant vested interests in the East Asian country where key South Korean companies operate over 2,000 businesses.

Seoul is Vietnam`s No. 1 investor, and Vietnam, thanks to a surge in bilateral trade last year, has become one of South Korea`s top 10 export destinations, according to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.

Foreign Ministry figures show that the volume of bilateral trade reached $9.8 billion as of 2008.

Noting the value of the relationship, diplomats stationed in Vietnam have repeatedly called for Seoul to become more attentive to the communist state.

One area of particular concern was the mistreatment of Vietnamese brides.

Domestic crimes against these women appear to be dwindling on the back of government and private sector campaigns, but the issue continues to mar the relations between the two countries.

Experts said the latest diplomatic "fiasco" underscores the need for Seoul to expand its diplomatic horizons.

"South Korea definitely needs to get more involved with the ASEAN nations," said Timothy Savage of the Nautilus Institute, a United States-based think tank. "One of the requirements to (expand its horizons) successfully is to become more conscious to the sensitivities of the other nations."

While noting increasing government efforts as reflected in the New Asia Initiative President Lee Myung-bak launched early in his term, South Korea still has a "tendency to taking too much of an arrogant attitude," Savage said.

Cheong Wa Dae yesterday announced that President Lee will depart for his Asian tour on Oct. 20 that will wrap up with a summit of the ASEAN plus South Korea, China and Japan.

Seoul last week pledged some $100,000 of relief aid to Vietnam after it was hit by typhoon Ketsana.

(jemmie@heraldm.com)



By Kim Ji-hyun