South Korean President Lee Visits China Amid North Korea Tensions

Is South Korea's pivot to China dangerous appeasement, or essential diplomacy for regional stability and economic prosperity?

Published 1 day ago

South Korean President Lee Visits China Amid North Korea Tensions

story

Above: Chinese President Xi Jinping with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in Gyeongju, on Nov. 1, 2025. Image credit: Huang Jingwen/Xinhua/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Lee Jae-myung's election marks a dangerous pivot toward Beijing that threatens South Korea's security and alliances. His past statements dismissing Taiwan tensions as irrelevant and praising China reveal a willingness to abandon strategic partnerships for appeasement. With North Korean threats escalating and Chinese aggression mounting, Seoul's shift away from Washington and Tokyo undermines the very foundations of regional stability.

Asia Times Chatham House

Pro-China narrative

Restoring China-South Korea relations represents essential diplomacy that serves both nations' economic interests and regional peace. Three decades of cooperation have built deeply integrated supply chains worth nearly $300 billion annually, proving neighbors can transcend differences through partnership. Expanding ties in emerging sectors while upholding multilateralism offers the clearest path to stability in an increasingly fragmented world.

The Chosun Daily XINHUA