베이징의 비밀 회동과 1억 6천만 원의 대북 지원: 멈춰 섰던 ‘비타민 C 외교’의 부활인가, 위험한 비선 접촉인가 > K-wave Trends

The genesis of this aid project began last November, when Governor Oh Young-hun paid a courtesy call to Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young to officially announce the resumption of Jeju-style inter-Korean exchanges. At the time, Jeju Province expressed its ambition to recreate the glory of the tangerine-sending project, once dubbed "Vitamin C Diplomacy," and subsequently met with the Chinese Ambassador to South Korea to secure all-around support for cooperation with the North. The provincial council also lent its weight to these moves by adopting a resolution urging the resumption of exchanges, and Jeju Province began the full-scale implementation phase using a portion of its 8 billion won inter-Korean cooperation fund. The Ministry of Unification also approved the local government's application for the shipment of goods to the North in accordance with legal requirements, signaling that independent inter-Korean cooperation attempts by local governments are permitted within the official government framework.

The core of the controversy is the secret contact between Governor Oh and a North Korean official at the Jianguo Hotel in Beijing at the end of February. According to foreign media and political reports, Ri Ho-nam, a behind-the-scenes power broker in past inter-Korean summits and a figure involved in major anti-South operations such as the Ssangbangwool illegal remittance case, was present at the meeting. Ri Ho-nam introduced himself as a counselor stationed in Europe and displayed typical operative behavior, such as demanding that the details of the project be kept strictly confidential until official approval was granted by the North Korean government. While Jeju Province has maintained a "no comment" stance regarding the specific attendees or content of the meeting, the existence of such back-channel contact proves that this exchange project carries political implications far beyond simple humanitarian aid.

The goods delivered by Jeju Province to North Korea include hemodialysis machines and supplies, pine wilt disease control agents, 50 Hallabong saplings, and greenhouse materials, totaling 160 million won. Initially, the North requested the fresh Hallabong fruit itself, but it is understood that practical adjustments were made to replace them with saplings, considering the possibility of spoilage during long-distance transport. The goods departed Incheon Port in April and arrived safely at Nampo Port in North Korea on May 4 via Dalian Port in China, but there has been no official receipt or expression of gratitude from the North. Jeju Province merely assumes that the North's partner organization, the "Korea Disability Support Company," is proceeding with follow-up measures as planned, but there is virtually no way to verify where or how the goods were actually used.

Expert opinions on this matter are sharply divided. Some argue that in times of strained inter-Korean relations, humanitarian exchanges at the private and local government levels are the only alternative to keep the spark of peace alive. However, others point to the specific nature of the figure Ri Ho-nam, criticizing that North Korea may be using Jeju Province as a tool for "strategic utilization," selectively taking only the goods it needs while maintaining its hostile stance toward the South. Especially in a situation where North Korean authorities officially refuse dialogue with the South, there is widespread skepticism about whether this contact, made through a back-channel, can be recognized as a transparent and sound exchange.

Jeju Province's recent move started with the intention of reviving memories of the tangerine-sending project that lasted from 1998 to 2010, but it feels significantly disconnected from the current severe security environment. Considering the historical background where inter-Korean exchanges were completely severed after the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan, it is difficult to avoid significant controversy regarding procedural transparency, even if the local government received approval from the central government, given that they met alone with a North Korean operative. Doubts are also growing about whether the expansion of exchanges into the pig farming and tourism industries, which Jeju Province intends to pursue in the future, will be feasible or if it will end as a one-time event. Ultimately, this incident clearly demonstrates the political homework Jeju must shoulder amidst the complex equation of the limitations of local government diplomacy and North Korea's strategy toward the South.