South Korean President Arrives in China for Milestone Summit

South Korean President Roh Tae Woo arrived here Sunday for a milestone summit between two former foes, raising hopes for greater stability in Northeast Asia and possible progress toward Korean reunification.

Bitter enemies during the 1950-53 Korean War, Beijing and Seoul established diplomatic relations just last month.

Improved ties between South Korea and China “signal an end to the Cold War system in Northeast Asia, the last remnant of the world’s Cold War era,” Roh said in a departure speech in Seoul. “I will meet Chinese leaders and overcome past misfortunes that existed between Korea and China, and with a relationship of real reciprocity laid down as the base, we will negotiate to move toward opening a new era.”

Roh is scheduled to meet with President Yang Shangkun, Premier Li Peng and Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin during a four-day visit.

Capitalist South Korea and Communist North Korea continue to face off against each other in a militarily tense standoff, as they have for the nearly four decades since the end of the Korean War.

But Seoul has now established normal relations with both Moscow and Beijing, the two capitals on which an increasingly isolated Pyongyang long depended for economic and political support. Beijing has said its new friendship with Seoul will not affect its longstanding ties with Pyongyang.

Roh stressed his belief that the new diplomatic ties bring improved prospects for Korean reunification. His meetings here will be “a precious steppingstone for unification,” he said before leaving Seoul.

“After the United Nations (which both Koreas joined last year) and Moscow (which normalized ties with Seoul in 1990), we now have reached Beijing, which is the last gate leading to Pyongyang,” Roh said. “With this, we have become new friends of two nations neighboring North Korea. . . . I will clearly convey to our new and North Korea’s old friend, China, our position toward achieving reunification.”

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Roh did not make any statement upon arrival in Beijing. His talks here are expected to focus on security issues on the Korean Peninsula, including not only the long-term prospects for reunification but also more immediate concerns about North Korea’s nuclear facilities.

The United States and its allies, including South Korea, have expressed concern that Pyongyang may be engaged in a program to develop nuclear weapons. Roh is expected to urge China to press North Korea to agree to inter-Korean nuclear inspections.