A high-profile summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Gyeongju produced seven new bilateral agreements but failed to forge a clear path forward on North Korea.
The agreements signal a strengthening of economic ties, including a currency swap and cooperation on online crime and innovation. Xi, on his first visit in 11 years, called South Korea an “inseparable cooperative partner.”
However, President Lee’s main objective—securing Xi’s help to resume dialogue with Pyongyang—was immediately thwarted. North Korea, a Chinese ally, dismissed Lee’s “phased” denuclearisation plan as a “pipe dream” on the same day as the summit.
A South Korean national security adviser, Wi Sunglac, said China expressed a willingness to cooperate for peace but did not specify what role it would play. Wi also noted that Chinese state media reports on the meeting made no mention of the North Korea discussions.
The leaders also discussed several points of friction, including Chinese sanctions on Hanwha Ocean and the long-standing ban on South Korean entertainment, underscoring the complexities of the relationship.