Speaker Woo Wonshik Attends China's Victory Day... Will a Meeting with the North Take Place?

Speaker Woo Wonshik Attends Events in China Until the 5th
Kim Jong Un Enters Alongside Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin

On September 3, National Assembly Speaker Woo Wonshik attended the event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War (Victory Day) held in Beijing, China. There is keen interest in whether he will meet North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un, who has embarked on his first multilateral diplomatic engagement.

Speaker Woo entered Tiananmen Square in Beijing on the morning of the same day to attend the Victory Day military parade, accompanied by his spouse, Shin Kyunghye. The previous day at Incheon International Airport, Speaker Woo told reporters, "The global order is changing significantly, and in this shifting international environment, it is important to foster a strong relationship between South Korea and China. Both countries are undergoing major changes in the economy and industry, and I believe that developing our bilateral relations during such a period of change will greatly benefit our economy. That is why I decided to make this visit."

However, the possibility of a meeting between Speaker Woo and Chairman Kim during Woo's visit to China remains low. During the entrance to the military parade, President Xi Jinping, Chairman Kim Jong Un, and Russian President Vladimir Putin stood together on the Tiananmen Gate, while Speaker Woo was positioned further back in the procession. Their seats for observing the parade were also separated.

There are also predictions that it will be difficult for Speaker Woo and Chairman Kim to have a meaningful conversation during the reception for foreign leaders attending the Victory Day event.

Park Sunwon, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea and the ruling party secretary of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, stated, "While it is not entirely impossible for them to encounter each other, the National Intelligence Service assesses that if the other side-namely, the Xi Jinping administration or any other relevant party-does not wish for it, the likelihood of a meaningful meeting is quite low." An official from the Speaker's office told Asia Economy in a phone call that morning, "We have not yet been notified about the specific seating arrangements for the leaders at the reception."

Meanwhile, Speaker Woo plans to request that President Xi Jinping attend the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which will be held next month in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, during meetings with senior officials from the National People's Congress (the Chinese equivalent of the National Assembly) and the State Council.

Yonhap News Agency