South Korea has signaled its intention to restore normal ties with China, with President Lee Jae Myung dispatching a special delegation to Beijing as he departed for Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
The delegation, led by former National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday. According to Seoul’s foreign ministry, Park urged both countries to work together to “open the door to normalising South Korea-China relations, which have been strained in recent years.”
During the meeting, Park delivered a personal letter from President Lee to Chinese President Xi Jinping, extending an invitation for Xi to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in October.
China’s foreign ministry quoted Wang as welcoming the move, stressing the importance of cooperation. “The development of both countries’ relations has shown that good neighbourliness, seeking common ground while reserving differences and expanding cooperation are the right choices,” Wang said. He called for efforts to “improve national sentiment and manage sensitivities properly” to ensure stability.
Both sides agreed to expand economic and supply chain cooperation while reaffirming their strategic partnership. Park added that South Korea’s new administration would pursue a “mature development” of ties with China, guided by national interests, while also maintaining and strengthening its alliance with the United States.
Relations between Seoul and Beijing have been rocky since 2017 following South Korea’s deployment of a U.S. missile defence system, which China strongly opposed. Though ties later improved, they deteriorated again in 2023 after former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s sharp criticism of Beijing sparked diplomatic tensions.
The latest engagement marks Seoul’s renewed effort to repair relations with its largest trading partner while balancing its close security ties with Washington.
