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On Sunday, as the Olympic torch passed through Seoul, the center of the capital became the scene of violence. Thousands of Chinese people, waving their country's flag or wearing it draped around their bodies, used stones, steel pipes and wire-cutters to assault a small group of demonstrators protesting Beijing's repression of Tibet, causing injuries to the chest and head of one civic group official and a photographer. An American and a Canadian wearing "Free Tibet" T-shirts were humiliated by Chinese supporters. The Chinese chased some fleeing Tibet supporters into a hotel and caused a commotion. Police who tried to stop the unrest were hit in the head with blunt objects and carried off to hospital.
As it has traveled around the world, the Beijing Olympic torch has encountered a bumpy ride, met with protests criticizing China's bloody crackdown of demonstrators in Tibet. But Seoul was the only city where Chinese people turned violent in the capital of a foreign country. What right do these people have to travel in hordes in a foreign capital, hurling punches and launching kicks at others? This is a serious problem that should not be treated lightly.
Korea and China are growing closer every day. China is Korea's largest trading partner; 600,000 Koreans live in China and that number is growing constantly. No matter how you look at it, the two countries are neighbors who need to treat each other well. But turning violent in the capital of their host country is not acceptable behavior from citizens of a neighboring country. It is questionable as to whether China is worthy of hosting the Olympics.
The level of common sense displayed by the Chinese hooligans is detestable, but how poorly must they view Korea and Koreans for them to treat us this way? Korean politicians until now have been unable to say what they wanted to China, while the so-called learned people in Korea, regardless of their ideology, have made it a habit of letting things quietly slip when they involve issues with China. We must ask ourselves whether this passive approach to China had led to such rude and haughty behavior by the Chinese.
There is no field where principles and precedents are so important as international relations. Even though it may lead to difficulties, setting a precedent of adhering steadfastly to principles gives a country the leverage to push ahead using those precedents. When faced with hardship, the Netherlands, though small in size, made sure it accrued precedents in which it stuck to the principles of international law. Such efforts have made the Netherlands a country no superpower dares to treat lightly. In other words, solid adherence to principles and consistent observance of these principles rack up precedents that elevate the status of a country.
This incident should not be considered finished simply with the voicing of strong regret to China's ambassador to Korea. The fact that police arrested only one Chinese hooligan, even though central Seoul was a scene of chaos for hours, shows how complacently the Korean government is responding. The government should thoroughly investigate this incident and sternly punish those who broke the law with their violence.
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