Subheading: President Lee Jae Myung urges Xi Jinping to mediate on the Korean Peninsula amid efforts to restore trust and ease regional tensions.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced on Wednesday that significant progress has been made in rebuilding trust with Beijing, as he called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to assist in mediating Seoul’s efforts to engage North Korea.
Speaking to South Korean media in Shanghai, with remarks broadcast live on television, Lee detailed the steps his government has taken to initiate dialogue with North Korea, efforts that have so far yielded limited results. He said he appealed to Xi to play a constructive role in fostering peace on the Korean Peninsula.
“President Xi acknowledged our efforts so far and said patience is needed,” Lee said, reflecting on his discussions with the Chinese leader about the complexities of dealing with a nuclear-armed North Korea.
Lee’s meeting with Xi marked their second encounter in under three months, underscoring South Korea’s push to open a “new phase” in bilateral relations after several tense years. Relations between Seoul and Beijing had been strained by the 2017 deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in South Korea, which had prompted Beijing to restrict South Korean cultural exports.
Highlighting the challenges of international diplomacy, Lee quoted Xi as saying, “‘Talk is easy, but action is not so easy,’” emphasizing that trust and respect between nations require sustained effort. Lee added that he had stressed the importance of balancing key national interests and expressed hope that ongoing tensions between Tokyo and Beijing could be resolved, noting that South Korea values its relationships with both Japan and China.
Lee’s visit to China reflects a broader regional strategy to strengthen alliances and open channels for dialogue with North Korea, signaling a potential shift toward greater stability and cooperation in Northeast Asia.
