The Korean Crisis 1994-2015- The 2015 Unification Summit, account by John Black.
This article is part of the larger Korean Crisis series of articles presented by the BBC World Service.
12th April 2015, Seoul Korea
I had only met a US President once before the Korean Summit in 2015; I had met Al Gore in Washington D.C. immediately after the break down of negotiations over the Chinese occupied region of the former North Korea in 2005. Gore had been a relatively warm, extremely professional, and profoundly boring man. He had spoken in the kind of lingo you expect of so called “boring” politicians, and the meagre interview he had given had done little to dispel worries about further Chinese presence on the border with the Republic of Korea.
Meeting Bill Clinton, former US President and Chairman of the Joint Reunification Commission, was very different. Clinton had something remarkably cheery about himself, and lacked the world weariness President Gore, whose presidency had seen both the World Trade Centre and Statue of Liberty bombings. Clinton was interesting in a way Gore couldn’t hope to be, and remarkably vivacious and enthusiastic about the peace process.
Unlike most of my interviews with statesmen Clinton actually agreed to meet me rather than engaging with the usual process of allowing me to harass his staff until they eventually snapped and pushed us into a room together. We met the day before the beginning of the second Reunification Conference in his own apartments in Seoul.
I was welcomed in by staff and, after numerous pat downs by both American and Korean security personnel, I was finally shown into a dining room larger than many of the houses I had seen during my time in the Former People’s Republic. Clinton was, of course, waiting for me in yet another perfectly tailored suit.
“You must be Mister Black.” He said warmly, extending his hand as he stood.
“I am.” I replied. We shook hands, his grip firm on mine, and then sat at the only two chairs at the table, both of which faced across from each other.
“I knew your predecessor well.” Clinton said with another smile. My predecessor, much to his consternation, had been forced to step down after over two decades in his role as BBC correspondent in Korea, and he had pushed me into his position as his final act.
“He said that you did.” I returned politely.
“Good.” Clinton waved to an aide who brought us each a cup of what looked like coffee, “I trust your fine with coffee? It’s rather hard to get here, so I have to have it made by one of my people.”
“I am, thank you, Mister President.” I replied.
“Not a problem.” Clinton grinned, “Now, questions?”
“Of course.” I shuffled my notes, “First of all what do you, the commission, and by extension the United States, hope to achieve at this year’s summit?”
“Now, now.” Clinton said, “The commission is entirely impartial. We don’t just fulfil the aims of the United States but rather all three participating parties but, first and foremost, the people of the former people’s republic.”
“Of course, of course.” I agreed hastily, “But the commission was established by the United States, and the United States did appoint you its President. And, of course, the President happens to exert a considerable amount of influence over you.” Clinton laughed heartily, nearly spilling his coffee.
“That the President does.” He guffawed once more before regaining his composure, “Seriously, the commission hopes to resolve the issues remaining in the Chinese Occupation Zone and complete the reunification process. I’m sure that the United States and the Republic of Korea will also aim for this.”
“In that case what are your thoughts on the events at the summit in two thousand and five? It is a well-known fact that you reacted… poorly to Premier Wen Jibao’s declaration of intentions at that summit.”
“I did.” Clinton agreed solemnly, “And it is also a well-known fact that the commission has worked tirelessly to persuade the Chinese government otherwise over the last ten years. The Premier is a reasonable man, far more reasonable than the pre-coup establishment in China, at least. I’m sure we’ll be able to convince him to see sense.”
I spent the remaining half an hour asking the President further questions, although the first two were the only ones that really mattered. It was obvious that President Clinton was unwilling to paint himself as the American instrument of negotiation, although it is my opinion that he was, and that he was certain that he would succeed.
I was ushered out of Clinton’s apartment shortly after, speaking only briefly to one of his key aides who informed me that they had arranged for me to interview the Chinese and Korean permanent delegates to the commission. They weren’t there yet, he said, (still flying out from Geneva) but they would be soon. I thanked the aide and then was shown on my way.
I got into a Taxi just outside the President’s hotel, and told the driver the name of my own.
“You a journalist, mister?” He asked.
“Yes.” I replied, “With the BBC.”
“Ah! And you here for the Reunification talks?”
“Yes, I’m the BBC’s main correspondent in Korea.”
“Wow!” The driver said. His eyes widened in surprise, “I tell you a story sir?”
“Alright.” I said, amused. I pulled my AppPhone out of my pocket and hit the record button.
“So, my grandfather and my grandmother were split up in the Korean War.” He began, showing me a picture as he swerved in front of another Taxi, “Grandfather took my uncle and stayed in the north, whilst my grandmother and my father escape south.”
“So they ended up on opposite sides of the Cold War?”
“Yes. Very bad. My uncle eventually stop contacting my father after my grandfather died. Said he was Americanised traitor. Very sad.” He looked sorrowful, “Then, when north is defeated my cousin he comes and finds me in south. Family reunited. Here.” He passed me a colour photo of himself and his cousin, both of them grinning from ear to ear.
“That’s a remarkable story.” And I meant it.
“Thank you. The way I see it the second war was the best thing to happen to this country. The people are happy now.” He said.
“And the people under the occupation?”
“They had plenty of time to leave during the war. It was just people like my uncle, hardcore communists, who stay in China zone.” He said, “Too brainwashed to come south to better life. Nothing we can do for them.”
The Taxi stopped and I realised I was at my hotel. I climbed out quickly and paid the man. A porter approached me and I asked him to hang on a moment whilst I got the driver’s details. Before I could do he was gone; a blur of lights and smoke vanishing into the metropolitan chaos of Seoul. Another voice lost in the clamour.