Cultural Diplomacy
It has been ten days since Trump was elected as a president and the world is in turmoil. I have witnessed the presidential inauguration several times when I was living in Washington and a few more after I moved back to Korea. They have always been fairly different from this time.
I remember morning meetings we had as soon as we had arrived from Seoul. We had a meeting with John Hamre, President and CEO of CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) on our first day. On the next day, there were a breakfast meeting with Thomas Hubbard, a former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea and Ah Hoyoung, a Korean ambassador to the U.S., and another one with Newt Gingrich, the 50th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and Walter Sharp, a former Commander, ROK-US Combined Forces Command.
Former U.S Ambassador Hubbard, talking about what kind of effects on the South Korean-American relations Trump administration might have, mentioned that the only thing predictable about Trump is the fact he is unpredictable, which made everyone laugh.
Two of them have emphasized an importance of Korea-U.S. alliance. Reminding myself how unstable situation we have due to the threats of North Korea, I began to talk.
“When I was working here in Washington over 10 years after graduating from Georgetown University, I was asked by the Korean government to work for Korean broadcasting. I turned down that offer because my son was still very young at the time. After three long years of persuasion, I finally accepted the offer and was getting ready to go back to Korea. At that time, my mother called me from Seoul and said, “why don’t you stay in the country where you don’t have to worry about wars” It was not that I could not understand the worries of my mother, who went through the hardship and pain of carrying a newborn baby, having no food, or no paper to write on during her time of flight to Choryang in Busan for more than three years during the Korean War. But I only answered her irritably, 'Mom, there won’t be such a war in this age.' Soon after, I came back to Korea with my son.
It happened almost twenty years ago, but I feel like I can still hear her voice, which I had forgotten for a while, because of what is happening in the world nowadays and because of the threats by powerful neighbors as the only divided country in the world. Looking back, I was never right to go against her advice, but I really hope that she was wrong about this era. The reason why the Korea-US alliance is more important than ever is because of the concern about North Korea’s poor judgment. My mother desperately hoped for peace through her poetry.
Living at the edge of East Asia, I only pray for peace
I present this book of poetry that includes this poem in English.”
With my autograph I presented the book I have edited over three years.
The meeting with Newt Gingrich, the 50th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, was also impressive. He is also a senior advisor at the big law firm Dentons. His partner at Dentons made a joke that he really regrets not to have scouted Gingrich before Trump’s election, because as one of the most close associates of Trump he has gotten way more expensive after the election.
“If you look at his cabinet appointees, you can say that Trump’s government has the strongest cabinet ever since Jimmy Carter. Trump is not a person who acts with idealism. As a successful investment entrepreneur, he is practical and likely to solve problems by means of negotiations. He would prefer bilateral negotiations to multilateral ones. Therefore, there is always a chance of change especially in the field of diplomacy and national security,” said Gingrich.
The accompanying two businessmen discussed their investments in the United States. Gingrich said he would write a report on the current state of investment and on the future possibilities of investment by Korean companies within the States and that he would share the report when he visits Korea before any other countries.
I was impressed as he told us of his close friendship with Trump. At that moment, the twisted relationship between Korea and Japan came across my mind. Both countries are inextricable alliances with America and we have to get close to each other to survive in this era of a smaller world. In order to get close to each other, we need America’s help.
I said, “My mother, Madam Son Hoyun, was born during the period of Japanese occupation. She could not forgive the pain and discrimination she had to experience under the harsh oppression by Japanese. Although she didn’t want to encounter and could not forgive easily, she made up her mind to embrace, tolerate, and move forward. I expect the new American government to play a big role for the two parties, who constantly come into conflicts with each other over the issues of historical consciousness, a little island, and Japanese Military Sexual Slavery.”
Wishing two neighboring countries to also become closer to each other in heart
I embrace Rose of Sharon, I embrace Cherry-Blossom
Quoting this poem, I handed over the book of poetry.
When I was leaving after the meeting, Mr. Gingrich called me and said, “I have questions about this book. What’s the difference between Tanka and Haiku? Are these all translated in English? I would like to buy two more copies. My 17-year-old granddaughter loves Haiku.” Answering these questions, I took back the copy I gave to Walter ‘Skip’ Sharp, a former Commander, ROK-US Combined Forces Command, and gave it to Gingrich, asking him to deliver it to President Trump. Pointing out the poem recited at the Korea-Japan Summit talk with a smile, I asked him to think about a great mind of a little Korean poet who have decided to embrace everything in her heart despite all the hardships she had to go through under Japanese oppression.
I realize again how much politicians in advanced countries, including Obama, care about literature and culture.
In 2005, although it was ‘Korea-Japan Friendship Year’, the whole country was protesting at the Dokdo issue and all the events between Korea and Japan were getting canceled. A few months before the Korea-Japan Summit Talk of that year, I advised our president several times that he could impress the Japanese party and raise our class by mentioning Poet Son Hoyun’s spirit of peace. Unfortunately my advice went unheard. On the other hand, I had only sent the book and a documentary film of the poet to Japan, with no comments, right before the summit talk, then Prime Minister Koizumi, right after arriving in Seoul, mentioned the very poem of peace by the poet and talked about her spirit.
I remember that I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of cultural diplomacy to the President. Minister of Diplomacy, Ban Ki-Moon who was right next to the president during the whole summit talk (I told him several times before the talk as well but he did not respond), gave me a call after the talk and the press conference with foreign reporters and said “Now I definitely understand what you meant.” He said the word ‘definitely’ several times.
Three years later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs opened the Culture Affairs Bureau. Every time a new director of the bureau gets appointed, I remember the word “Cultural Diplomacy” I have initiated in this country.
At the meeting with Newt Gingrich while discussing the future of the politics in a new era,
he has shown the level of diplomacy with his attitude, he was nodding his head when I recited the poem and wanted to get more copies of the book.
I dream of a day in the hopefully near future when our diplomacy and politics advance into the ones deeply engaged with ample cultural features.
