South Korea - China Relations : Past, Present, and Perspective

Abstract

Neighboring countries, China and Korea in the northeastern part of Asia has long history. In their relations, there is no doubt the geographical and geopolitical factors are fateful. Since the ROK-PRC diplomatic normalization in 1992, the economic as well as people to people and cultural exchanges are very remarkable. However, political and military factors between two countries with Korean War aftereffect, ideological differences, and respective alliance systems have being worked as main obstacles to positive and desirable relations. With such relations and exchanges, not merely a sense of closeness and intimacy but a sense of distance and inconvenience between the Koreans and the Chinese are lodged themselves in their minds, respectively. It is in compliance with real situation as well as their feeling to the other. In light of these, of crucial importance for this paper is to grasp the Sino-South Korean relations, looking at historical and geopolitical perspective, economic exchanges and cooperation, and people to people and cultural exchanges, and look out over bilateral relations, suggesting some points for further close relations, cooperation, development, and ramification effects.