By Focus | 2026-01-09

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung returned from his four-day visit to China expressing hope for the day "the abnormality of chaos and hostility will be overcome on the Korean Peninsula."

His office has framed the trip as part of the Lee administration's "pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interest," Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

Lee is seeking to stabilize ties with South Korea's largest trading partner despite persistent security and economic frictions.

Lee conferred on security and other matters with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on January 5, a day after North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.

During the summit, Xi noted that the "international situation is becoming increasingly complex and intertwined." South Korea and China "bear a significant responsibility for safeguarding regional peace and promoting global development," he said.

He urged Seoul to "make the right strategic choice," Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

Lee characterized the summit as a "crucial moment in establishing 2026 as the first year of the full restoration of South Korea-China relations."

The two presidents did not issue a joint statement after the summit, but they did agree to maintain high-level exchanges and other regular diplomatic meetings.

Frictions persist

Lee raised sensitive cultural and economic issues, including a request to ease the "unofficial" Chinese restrictions that have hampered South Korea's cultural and entertainment exports.

The measures were put in place after Seoul and Washington agreed in 2016 to deploy the US-led Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic-missile defense system in South Korea.

The Chosun Daily reported that Xi suggested any easing of these restrictions would be gradual. Using a metaphor, Xi said, "Three feet of ice does not melt all at once, and fruit falls naturally when ripe."

The leaders also discussed Beijing's deployment of observation buoys in the Yellow Sea where China's and South Korea's Exclusive Economic Zones overlap. Xi suggested the issue should be handled "at the working level," according to Lee's spokesperson, who added that Xi did not appear "aware of the structures in the Yellow Sea."

Despite these sticking points, Lee and Xi oversaw the signing of 14 memoranda of understanding, plus a 15th separate agreement, on cooperation in many areas. Lee came with a delegation of more than 200 South Korean business leaders.

Lee affirmed his commitment to "develop the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership, in keeping with the irreversible trend of the times."

The summit's optics drew significant attention after Lee tweeted selfies with Xi and their wives, noting he took the photos with a smartphone Xi had given to him.

"The closer we get to each other, the more the Korea-China relationship warms up. We will communicate more frequently and cooperate more in the future," Lee posted.

Previously, Xi reportedly joked with Lee at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering last November about whether the device's communications were secure.

Mediator sought

Lee also sought Beijing's help in restarting talks with Pyongyang.

"I would like China to play a mediating role on issues related to the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea's nuclear program. All our channels are completely blocked," Lee told journalists in Shanghai on January 7.

"We hope China can serve as a mediator -- a mediator for peace," he said.

Lee added that Xi urged South Korea to show "patience" given the longstanding hostilities between the two states.

China "will continue to play a constructive role ... in its own way," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press briefing on January 7.

Lee further proposed a freeze on North Korea's development of weapons of mass destruction in exchange for "compensation," arguing that "just stopping at the current level" would be "a gain" in pursuit of "a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula" someday.

North Korea, however, has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear power, justifying its arsenal as a necessary deterrent.

Strategic stabilization

Analysts cautioned against interpreting the summit as an immediate breakthrough, noting the meeting appeared aimed more at stabilizing a volatile relationship than at resolving deep-seated disputes.

"Lee and Xi, by choosing each other for the first summit of the year, no doubt considered that friendly Seoul-Beijing talks would set the tone for defusing regional tension," the Korea Times editorialized.

However, the editorial highlighted a discrepancy.

While Seoul emphasized shared interests in peninsular stability, China's official announcement did not mention North Korea -- prompting analysts to debate what the omission signifies.