For Shin Jung-seung, former South Korean ambassador to China, the 1992 signing of the joint communique establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries remains a vivid memory.
"Witnessing the normalization of bilateral ties with my own eyes was deeply moving," Shin said, recalling the signing ceremony at Fangfeiyuan Hall in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Aug 24, 1992.
At the time, Shin was director of the Northeast Asia Division II in the South Korean Foreign Ministry's Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau. In charge of China affairs, he played an active role in the negotiations that led to the establishment of diplomatic relations, often seen as a milestone that reshaped the geopolitical landscape of Northeast Asia.
Beyond the official exchanges, Shin recalled another touching moment that night at a restaurant near the state guesthouse. The owner, a member of China's Korean ethnic group, was overjoyed by the news and presented the delegation with a bottle of liquor as a gift.
"That gave me a tangible sense that the normalization of relations would greatly benefit the peoples of both nations," Shin said.
