Possibility of Korea-China Talks After Ten Months... China Likely to Pressure on 'North Korea Denuclearization and North Korea-Russia Talks'

Meeting with China's Top Official 10 Months After Last Year's G20
Pressure Amid Calls for International Cooperation... Foundation for Korea-Japan-China Cooperation
Presidential Office "Under Discussion... Not Confirmed at This Time"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the third day of his official visit to Indonesia on the 7th (local time). If the meeting between President Yoon and Premier Li takes place, it will be the first face-to-face meeting with a top Chinese official for President Yoon in 10 months since the G20 summit with 20 countries last November. President Yoon is expected to address international concerns over the North Korea-Russia summit as well as engage in preliminary discussions for holding the South Korea-Japan-China summit within the year.

A senior official from the presidential office told reporters at a press center set up in a hotel in Jakarta the previous evening, "We are discussing tonight whether to hold the South Korea-China summit with Premier Li Qiang tomorrow," adding, "It has not been confirmed yet."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon first met Premier Li at the ASEAN+3 (South Korea-Japan-China) summit held that day, but it is highly likely that various opinions will be conveyed during the talks. South Korea plans to urge China for international unity toward North Korea’s denuclearization. At the ASEAN+3 summit, President Yoon requested, "I ask for your attention and cooperation in joint efforts to block the dispatch of overseas workers, which is a major source of funding for North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, as well as illegal cyber activities."

The uncomfortable variable of the North Korea-Russia summit will inevitably be addressed. Since signs of strengthened military cooperation between North Korea and Russia are emerging, it presents an opportunity to pressure China under the pretext of peace in the Indo-Pacific region. Currently, the presidential office has issued a warning regarding the North Korea-Russia summit, stating, "Including the United States, South Korea has been watching this issue quietly and proactively for a long time." This is interpreted as a signal that if North Korea teams up with Russia to escalate nuclear and missile provocations, South Korea and the United States will respond jointly based on a strengthened South Korea-U.S. alliance, including the nuclear group.

The cooperation framework of the South Korea-Japan-China summit is also expected to be strengthened. After President Yoon and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to improve bilateral relations, the possibility of holding a trilateral summit has increased. Recently, the three countries have also reached a consensus to reactivate high-level consultative bodies. Moreover, President Yoon, who must also consider the domestic economic situation, cannot afford to sever economic cooperation ties with China, South Korea’s largest trading partner.

However, the diplomatic stance of the Yoon administration toward China has become even clearer in its difference from the previous administration. At the ASEAN+3 summit the day before, President Yoon said, "We intend to closely communicate with the Japanese and Chinese governments to resume trilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the South Korea-Japan-China summit, as soon as possible." He mentioned the countries in the order of "South Korea-Japan-China," not the usual "South Korea-China-Japan" as commonly referred to by Koreans. This is interpreted as emphasizing that starting with improving South Korea-Japan relations and institutionalizing South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation, closer cooperation with the U.S. and Japan based on shared values and freedom is being realized under President Yoon.

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