The Republic of Korea and the People‘s Republic of China held the “Korea-China Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue” on Tuesday, June 18, in Seoul. The Korean delegation was led by Kim Hong Kyun, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Lee Seung-buhm, Director General of International Policy Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense. The Chinese delegation was led by Sun Weidong, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the Central Military Commission. The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest such as Korea-China relations, Korean Peninsula issues, and regional and global affairs.

The two sides appreciated the ongoing active high-level communication between the two countries, including the Korea-Japan-China Trilateral Summit, the meeting between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Premier Li Qiang held on the sidelines of the Trilateral Summit, and the Korea-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in China. The two sides agreed to utilize the momentum of cooperation to develop the Korea-China relationship in a sounder and more mature way. Furthermore, the two sides committed to faithfully carry out various projects for bilateral exchanges, such as the Vice Foreign Ministerial Strategic Dialogue and the Track 1.5 Dialogue, which the two countries agreed upon on the occasion of the recent high-level exchanges.

The two sides acknowledged the importance of close communication between national defense authorities in the changing security environment. The two sides agreed to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges and communication, following the Korea-China Defense Ministerial Meeting and Vice Defense Ministerial Meeting held last year.

The ROK side expressed deep concerns about Russian President Putin’s visit to North Korea as North Korea has recently been raising the tensions on the Korean Peninsula through a series of provocations, including launching ballistic missiles, sending trash balloons, and jamming GPS signals. The ROK side stated its firm position that President Putin’s visit to North Korea must not disrupt peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula nor lead to the reinforcement of the illicit military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Furthermore, the ROK side called on China to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the denuclearization of North Korea, as the rise of tensions on the Korean Peninsula due to the strengthened military cooperation between Russia and North Korea also goes against China’s interests. Also, the ROK side expressed domestic and international concerns regarding the forcible repatriation of North Korean defectors and requested the Chinese government’s particular attention to ensure that North Korean defectors are not repatriated against their will and instead transferred to their desired destinations. In response, the Chinese side stated that China’s policy regarding the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged and that China will play a constructive role in resolving the Korean Peninsula issue.

The two sides also discussed regional and global affairs, including the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East and the U.S.-China relationship.

The Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue took place as President Yoon Suk Yeol and Premier Li Qiang had a meeting on the sidelines of the Ninth Korea-Japan-China Trilateral Summit and agreed to activate communication channels between Korea and China in the areas of diplomacy and security. During the Dialogue, the two sides had candid discussions on various issues in the field of foreign policy and security. The two sides agreed to hold the Dialogue on a regular basis in the future.

In addition, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul had a meeting with Vice Minister Sun Weidong and Deputy Director Zhang Baoqun. The two sides appreciated that there recently have been active exchanges and communication at various levels between the two countries. Minister Cho emphasized the importance of maintaining the momentum of cooperation through careful management. Furthermore, Minister Cho expressed concern over President Putin’s visit to North Korea, which was scheduled for the same date as the Dialogue. The Chinese side expressed their wish that the exchanges between Russia and North Korea would contribute to the peace and stability of the region.