中주재 호주 특파원 긴급 철수…"출국금지 통보받았다가 풀려나"

"中 당국이 '국가 안보 관련 질문에 답하라'고 압박"…중국·호주 갈등 고조

호주 공영 ABC 방송 소속 빌 버틀스 기자가 8일 오전 시드니 공항에 도착해 이동하고 있다.[AP=연합뉴스]

(서울=연합뉴스) 김유아 기자 = 최근 중국 당국으로부터 '출국 금지' 통보를 받았던 중국 주재 호주 특파원 2명이 호주 정부의 도움으로 중국을 떠났다고 로이터통신, AP통신 등 외신이 8일 보도했다.

외신에 따르면 호주 공영 ABC 방송과 일간 '오스트레일리안 파이낸셜 리뷰'(AFR)에 각각 소속돼 있던 호주 국적의 중국 특파원 빌 버틀스, 마이클 스미스 기자가 이날 중국 상하이를 떠나 본국인 호주 시드니 공항에 도착했다.

이들은 최근 중국 당국으로부터 '국가 안보'에 관한 인터뷰에 응하지 않으면 중국을 떠날 수 없다는 통보를 받은 것으로 알려졌다.

중국은 지난달 중국중앙(CC)TV 영어방송 채널 CGTN 소속 중국계 호주인인 청레이 앵커를 억류하고 있다고 밝힌 바 있는데, 이와 관련해 버틀스 기자와 스미스 기자를 '요주의 인물'로 지정했다고 AFR는 전했다.

버틀스 기자는 지난 2일 저녁 중국 경찰관 7명이 자신의 집으로 찾아와 국가 보안과 관련된 수사에 응하기 전까지는 중국을 떠날 수 없다고 말했다고 주장했다.

이에 버틀스 기자는 베이징에 있는 주중 호주 대사관에 도움을 요청해 피신했다.

머리스 페인 호주 외무부 장관은 성명을 통해 "이들의 안전한 귀국을 보장해달라고 중국 정부 관계자에게 요청했다"고 확인했다.

버틀스 기자는 트위터를 통해 "이런 일로 중국을 떠나게 돼 매우 실망스럽다"면서 "아직도 지난 몇 주간 있었던 일이 실감 나지 않는다"고 전했다.

호주 일간 '오스트레일리안 파이낸셜 리뷰'(AFR) 소속 마이클 스미스 기자가 8일 오전 시드니 공항에 도착해 엄지손가락을 들어보이고 있다.[AP=연합뉴스]

호주 언론계는 이번 사건을 비판하는 성명을 잇달아 내놨다.

AFR는 "정상적인 취재 활동을 해 오던 두 기자를 상대로 한 이번 사건은 매우 유감스럽고 충격적"이라고 목소리를 높였다.

이 두 기자가 중국 땅을 떠남으로써 중국에는 호주 언론사 특파원이 더이상 남아있지 않게 됐다. 이들이 마지막 호주 특파원이었기 때문이다.

최근 들어 중국과 호주 간 관계는 연일 악화일로에 접어들고 있다.

특히 호주가 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19) 대유행의 책임이 중국에 있다며 국제사회의 조사를 요구하자, 중국은 호주산 소고기 등 여러 제품에 고율의 관세를 물리거나 반덤핑 조사를 진행하며 보복하고 나서면서 갈등의 골은 더욱더 깊어졌다.

중국 내 외신기자들의 운신 폭도 점점 좁아지는 추세다. 중국 외신기자클럽에 따르면 올해 상반기에만 17명에 이르는 외신기자가 취재자격을 박탈당했다.

청레이 CGTN 앵커[AFP=연합뉴스 자료사진. 재판매 및 DB금지.]

kua@yna.co.kr

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