Prime Minister Han: "Korea-China Relations Should Be Based on Mutual Respect... Will Uphold Principles Even If Retaliation Occurs"

"We Must Say That China's Economic Retaliation Is Not the Right Action... Principles Should Not Be Broken"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Prime Minister Han Duck-soo emphasized, "Korea and China should maintain their relationship in a way that is mutually beneficial and respectful to each other."

On the 28th, during a press corps dinner commemorating his one-month inauguration at the Prime Minister's official residence in Sejong, Prime Minister Han addressed a question about how to establish diplomacy with China amid China's backlash over President Yoon Suk-yeol's attendance at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit. He stated, "The new government's position regarding China is clear."

Prime Minister Han said, "Many worry about what to do if China, feeling aggrieved, imposes economic retaliation. However, if we pursue values respected worldwide and principles we must follow, and China expresses dissatisfaction and threatens economically disadvantageous actions, we must say that such behavior is not right." He added, "We must not break more important principles to recover from those (disadvantages)."

He continued, "I also believe there is no such possibility because our division of labor system with China has matured considerably." He said, "Although we depend on China for 25% of our exports, I am not confident that those items will be actively impacted by China's dissatisfaction. The priorities of more important values and national interests are gradually changing."

He further emphasized the necessity of solidarity, saying, "When we act with an international coalition to do what we naturally can, China's displeased reactions are much more reasonable compared to when we act independently and cause offense."

When asked if the government would uphold its diplomatic principles even if there were retaliations similar to those during the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) deployment, Prime Minister Han firmly replied, "Of course."

He also mentioned John Kirby, the White House National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications, who responded in a press briefing that "China has no veto power over which meetings Korea participates in." Prime Minister Han said, "I think that is a correct statement," adding, "If it is necessary for security, we should attend. It is impolite for China to dictate what we should or should not do. It does not align with mutual respect."

Regarding measures to respond to North Korea's nuclear threats, he said, "It is difficult to speak specifically," but added, "We will establish deterrence so that North Korea cannot recklessly use nuclear weapons to attack the Republic of Korea, and depending on the situation, we will also demonstrate it."

He stressed, "People worry that the government has been naive about North Korea over the past few years, but this government absolutely does not hold such a view."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.