“I was a friend and adversary to Korean players such as Hyeon Jeong-hwa. We were in a relationship where we loved each other and hurt each other.”
Deng Yaping (49), the ’empress of table tennis’ of China, who ruled the world table tennis world in the 1990s, attended a debate hosted by the National Soft Power Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Diplomacy held under the theme of ‘Korea-China friendship and cooperation in the Winter Olympics’ at the Dewey Center in Beijing on the 24th. This is how he introduced the relationship of love and hatred with the players.
Deng Yaping is the “Chinese table tennis player” who retired at the young age of 24 in 1997 after winning two consecutive singles and doubles doubles at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and two consecutive world championships in 1995 and 1997. is a legend.
He introduces the memories of winning the gold medal in a breathtaking close match against South Korea led by Hyun Jeong-hwa (current horse coach) and Hong Cha-ok at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing in 1990, and giving away the championship to the unified South and North Korean team at the 1991 World Championships in Chiba. did.
In particular, at the 1991 Chiba Games, when the Chinese team lost to the unified South and North Korean team, he laughed at the crowd by saying, “I also contributed to peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
In particular, Deng mentioned the fact that Jeong-hwa Hyeon won the World Championships in singles in 1993, and said that if it were not for Jeong-hwa Hyun, he would have won the World Championships 3 times in a row, having swept the World Championships in singles in 1995 and 1997 in a row. He added, “I think this kind of relationship is both a friend and an enemy.”
Deng also recalled that at a press conference held in Korea in the past, a Korean reporter said, “I hate you because you often beat Korea in the finals, but I like your table tennis skills.” He also introduced that when he went to Namdaemun Market in Seoul, people recognized him, and some merchants refused to accept the price.
Deng Yaping seemed to have something to say from his experience as an active duty soldier at a time when public sentiment in Korea and China was reaching its worst ever. In other words, it was read with the intention of wishing that people from both countries could become friends who respect each other while competing just like the relationship between him and director Hyun Jung-hwa.
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who attended online, said, “There is no ‘enemy’ in sports. They will only meet as ‘enemies’ in competition for a limited time, and everyone will become one without discrimination based on race or region.
Former Chinese Ambassador to Korea Chu Guohong (邱國洪), who served as a speaker, pointed out that the two major difficulties in Korea-China relations are the lack of strategic mutual trust and deterioration of public opinion in the other country. and emphasized the need to expand cultural exchanges.
