South Korea Seeks China’s Support in Reviving Engagement with Pyongyang
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung sought Chinese President Xi Jinping’s help in efforts to resume talks with nuclear-armed neighbour North Korea on Saturday, while Xi told Lee he was willing to widen cooperation and jointly tackle the challenges they face.
Lee hosted Xi at a state summit and dinner after an Asia-Pacific leaders’ forum in the South Korean city of Gyeongju, marking Xi’s first visit to the country in 11 years.
“I am very positive about the situation in which conditions for engagement with North Korea are being formed,” Lee said, referring to recent high-level exchanges between China and North Korea.
“I also hope that South Korea and China will take advantage of these favourable conditions to strengthen strategic communication to resume dialogue with North Korea.”
Lee has called for a phased approach to denuclearising North Korea, starting with engagement and a freeze on further development of nuclear weapons.
In a statement on Saturday, however, Pyongyang dismissed the denuclearisation agenda as an unrealisable “pipe dream”.
Chinese state media reports on the meeting with Lee made no mention of the North Korea discussions.
According to Xinhua, Xi proposed ways to open a new chapter in relations, including having each country “respect each other’s social systems and development paths, accommodate core interests and major concerns, and properly handle differences through friendly consultation.”
Moreover, China and South Korea signed seven agreements including a won-yuan currency swap and memoranda of understanding on online crime, businesses that cater to aging populations, and innovation, among other issues.
