South Korean President Lee tries to ease tensions with North Korea, seeks China's help

South Korea and China signed seven agreements including cooperation on innovation, online crime prevention, and elderly care industries during meeting

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to assist in restarting stalled talks with nuclear-armed North Korea.

Lee hosted Xi following an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) highlighting the significance of renewed dialogue on the Korean Peninsula.

“I am very positive about the situation in which conditions for engagement with North Korea are being formed,” Lee noted, highlighting recent high-level exchanges between Beijing and Pyongyang.

Lee called Xi, who visited South Korea after 11 years, for closer strategic communication with China to “take advantage of these favourable conditions” to resume peace talks.

Xi, in remarks ahead of the summit, described South Korea as an “inseparable cooperative partner,” stressing Beijing’s desire to “jointly tackle challenges” and “widen cooperation.”

Adding to the conversation related to the improving ties between South Korea and North Korea, Chinese state media later confirmed that Xi proposed mutual respect for each country’s systems and increased collaboration in technology, green industries, and aging population initiatives.

The visit reflects the complex balance South Korea intends to maintain between its security alliance with the US and its economic dependence on China.

During the meeting, both countries agreed on “seven” agreements including a won-yuan currency swap and accords on innovation, online crime prevention, and elderly care industries.

Earlier, North Korea refused to engage with Seoul by swiftly dismissing its denuclearization plan. Furthermore, despite having strong ties with China and Russia, North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un, maintained the stance of “dialogue with the South is off the table.”