Korea's largest Buddhist sect slams DP lawmakers' comments on Tibet

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Korea's largest Buddhist sect slams DP lawmakers' comments on Tibet

Published: 22 Jun. 2023, 18:29 Updated: 22 Jun. 2023, 18:37

Democratic Party Rep. Do Jong-hwan takes a bow to Chinese officials and other attendees after walking off stage in making a speech at the China Xizang Tourism and Culture Expo on Saturday. Some seven DP representatives left for China as they were invited to the event by the Chinese government. [YONHAP]

Korea’s biggest Buddhist sect lambasted Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers for recent comments downplaying human rights violations in Tibet.

“An individual or a group of people representing a country visiting another country for whatever diplomatic purposes and participating in a dialogue or an event for unity, cooperation and symbiosis is a good thing regardless of what the results are,” the statement by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism said. “However, we cannot hide our surprise and deep regret regarding comments [by the DP] that were either ignorant of human rights issues that are universal common knowledge, not only among Buddhist in our country but among Korean people and the people of the world, or dismissed them as past history.”

The Buddhist order said a single comment made by a public figure could encourage the public or leave a huge scar.

“Rep. Do Jong-hwan and Min Byoung-dug must sincerely apologize to the souls who died by setting themselves on fire in protest to oppression [by the Chinese government] and the Tibetans who continue to suffer under oppression even today.”

Recently the DP legislators have been under public scrutiny for not only attending an event in Tibet that was organized and paid for by the Chinese government, but also for their unfiltered comments.

Earlier this month, seven DP legislators including Do, who was the culture minister under President Moon Jae-in, attended the China Xizang Tourism and Culture Expo in Tibet.

Their visit was considered inappropriate as it took place when bilateral tensions between Korea and China had been escalating due to comments made by the Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming in the presence of DP chief Lee Jae-myung.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung greeted by Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming at the ambassador's residence in Seongbuk District, Seoul on June 8. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Ambassador Xing warned that those betting against China would "regret it" in a 15-minute-long speech on June 8 while the DP leader was sitting next to him.

Lee was criticized for setting the stage for the Chinese envoy to vent in a way especially reminiscent to times when imperial China kept Korean kingdoms under its thumb.

The DP lawmakers’ trip initially remained undisclosed until the local newspaper Hankook Ilbo reported that another group of DP lawmakers had gone on an earlier trip to Beijing.

The lawmakers pushed through with the trip despite public opposition. When it was reported that the Chinese government was paying for the entire trip, critics accused the liberal party’s lawmakers were being used in a Chinese propaganda event.

While attending the expo in Tibet, Do said he had no knowledge of “negative public opinion,” and that it is not their position to comment on why no western countries attended the event.

On his return, he appeared on a radio show on Monday where he dismissed human rights violations in Tibet as something that happened more than seven decades ago.

“[Human rights violation] happened in 1951 and 1959,” Do said. “We went to the expo for the purpose of tourism and culture,” he added. “I hope people would see [the trip to the expo and human rights] as separate issues.”

Rep. Min, who was also among the seven DP remembers that went to Tibet, asked rhetorically how bringing up something that happened 70 years ago would help the national interest.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]