[KS] Book on Seo Yeong-hae

[Vladimir Tikhonov]

Dear Frank, dear all,

Just to be precise, the diplomatic relationship between PRC and ROK were normalized on August 24, 1992. Indirect trade, however, was taking place between these two states already in the late 1970s, mainly via Hong Kong. Mutual visitation was possible for the citizens of ROK and PRC from ca. 1988-89, albeit with a number of security precautions. About the postal exchange - quite sure that it was taking place via routine international mail (of course, perlustrated on both sides by the responsible state agencies) in the 1980s (have heard the mentions of such exchanges), but not sure about the earlier periods.

Best greetings,

Vladimir 
________________________________________
From: Koreanstudies <koreanstudies-bounces at koreanstudies.com> on behalf of Frank Hoffmann <hoffmann at koreanstudies.com>
Sent: 16 September 2020 18:39
To: Korean Studies Discussion List
Subject: Re: [KS] Book on Seo Yeong-hae

Hello Erica (and All):

Sŏ Yŏng-hae (徐嶺海, his French spelling was Seu Ring Hai) is most
certainly worth a book or two! Amazing guy. It's only recently that he
got some ink in both Korean and French media.

As for postal communications between mainland China and South Korea, I
think -- while diplomatic relations only normalized around 1987 between
the two states -- postal communication was always possible, I think.
The international mail system was not "interrupted." But in the cold
war area each of these authoritarian governments (China and Korea)
certainly had a very close eye on outgoing or incoming mails from a
country in the other camp. Sŏ Yŏng-hae may not have written in order to
protect himself and his wife.

He sure wasn't alone in that situation. So many Koreans continued to
live in Manchuria or elsewhere in mainland China after Korean
independence, while other family members had returned to Korea. As far
as I am aware of communication _mostly_ happened via Red Cross channels
or indirectly through foreigners.

Maybe there are others here on the list who have concrete infos on that
situation?

Best,
Frank


On Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:05:27 +0200 (CEST), - - wrote:
> I am a writer based in Berlin and am writing a book on a Viennese
> friend's grandfather who was a Korean freedom fighter and lived in
> exile in Paris for 27 years: Seo Yeong-hae.
> My question: From 1948 to 1956/57 Seo (who had Chinese citizenship)
> was forced to stay on Shanghai (while on his way to Paris with his
> Korean wife). His wife returned to South Korea. In 1956/57 Seo went
> to North Korea and nothing has been heard from him since. During his
> period in Shanghai (where he taught at a Korean school) Seo had no
> communication whatsoever with his wife who was a school teacher in
> Busan. I would like to know whether there was any possibility of
> exchanging letters between Shanghai and South Korea between 1948 and
> 1957, i.e. whether Seo's non-communication was due to the political
> situation between the two countries or whether he refused to
> communicate for personal reasons.
> Thank you very much for your help.
> Erica Fischer, Berlin.

_______________________________
Frank Hoffmann
http://koreanstudies.com