The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korea walks fine line between US, China in chip war

  • 3

    SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal'

  • 5

    Man arrested for opening airplane emergency exit during flight

  • 7

    ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood'

  • 9

    Half of medical tourists visiting Korea inspired by K-culture

  • 11

    Hyundai Steel receives EPD certification for low-carbon H-beam products

  • 13

    RAS KOREAPreserving memories at Cheongju City Archives

  • 15

    Chun Woo-hee becomes chameleon con artist in 'Delightfully Deceitful'

  • 17

    Memorial Day 2023

  • 19

    Yoon, first lady star on TV show with adopted dog

  • 2

    Jeju-based shamanism researcher documents connection between humans, crows

  • 4

    ChatGPT: boon or bane for banking industry?

  • 6

    Arrest warrant issued for man who opened plane door mid-air

  • 8

    Labor unions seek to attract migrant workers at shipyards

  • 10

    Asiana stops selling A321-200 emergency seats after man opened aircraft door mid-air

  • 12

    Korea eyes launch of 4th Nuri space rocket in 2025

  • 14

    Anticipated Korean blockbusters to check out this summer

  • 16

    Mirae Asset holds ETF Rally 2023 for global expansion

  • 18

    Gov't moves to assist 3,400 Koreans stranded in typhoon-hit Guam

  • 20

    LG Electronics expands social contribution in Middle East, Africa

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, May 30, 2023 | 17:11
Foreign Affairs
How will South Korea-China relations unfold under Yoon administration?
Posted : 2022-05-14 08:53
Updated : 2022-05-16 11:45
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, shakes hands with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan at his office in Yongsan, Seoul, before holding talks on Tuesday. The meeting took place after Yoon was sworn in as president earlier in the day. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, shakes hands with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan at his office in Yongsan, Seoul, before holding talks on Tuesday. The meeting took place after Yoon was sworn in as president earlier in the day. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon

Beijing increasingly reaching out to Seoul under new president, as Washington steps up efforts to secure partners amid rivalry

By Kim Bo-eun

HONG KONG ― South Korea's new leader Yoon Suk-yeol's evident siding with the U.S. has had observers projecting that ties with China will weaken under the new administration.

The new president's plans to boost engagement with Washington in security and trade comes at a time when the U.S. rivalry with Beijing is escalating in the Indo-Pacific region.

Yoon's predecessor Moon Jae-in had opted not to take sides, as Korea relies largely on the U.S. for security and on China for its economy. Moon had also counted on Beijing to help achieve progress in relations with reclusive North Korea.

Foreign policy dynamics are expected to change under the Yoon administration. But China appears set on making sure ties stay intact and that it keeps its influence in the region.

On the same day Yoon was sworn in, Chinese President Xi Jinping invited him to hold a summit. The invitation came ahead of a scheduled meeting between Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden on May 21, which will be the quickest meeting to date between a U.S. and South Korean president after the inauguration of the latter.

The invitation was delivered by China's Vice President Wang Qishan who attended Yoon's inauguration ceremony. Not only was Wang a higher-ranking official to attend an inauguration ceremony for a South Korean president compared to previous figures; it was also a rare overseas visit by a senior Chinese leader since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Korea's Ambassador to China Jang Ha-sung said this reflects "the development of bilateral ties, as well as wishes on the part of China to further promote relations between the countries."

China's state media, The Global Times, in the past months has continued to emphasize bilateral ties. In an editorial published Tuesday titled "Yoon most likely to handle relations with China well," the government mouthpiece said, "The respect and importance (China) attaches to South Korea will not change with the election of a new president. China has displayed huge sincerity to push its ties with South Korea to move forward steadily and develop the ties to a higher level."

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, shakes hands with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan at his office in Yongsan, Seoul, before holding talks on Tuesday. The meeting took place after Yoon was sworn in as president earlier in the day. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon
Former President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their summit in Beijing, Dec. 23, 2019. Joint Press Corps

Despite Yoon's anticipated shift toward the U.S., South Korea's traditional security partner, his transition committee did not include additional deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system among the incoming administration's major tasks. This had been one of Yoon's election pledges, as a means to boost defense capabilities against North Korea's growing threats.

THAAD is a thorny issue with China, as it believes the U.S. missile defense system can spy into its territory. South Korea's 2016 decision with the U.S. to deploy THAAD and the subsequent stationing of the system angered Beijing and prompted it to take a series of moves that curbed the operations of Korean businesses both in China and Korea.

The omission of the plan from the Yoon administration's main priorities is seen as Korea still taking China into account, despite growing provocations from the North, as well as Washington's stepped-up efforts to solidify ties with partners in the Indo-Pacific in the midst of its power struggle with Beijing.

Experts said Korea-China bilateral relations are set to face the toughest times, but will still remain key.

"Having been tangled somewhat with Russia's attack on Ukraine, especially in the eyes of the U.S., Beijing's relations with Washington and its major allies have deteriorated even further," said Shi Yin-hong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China in Beijing.

Shi mentioned Pyongyang's acceleration of weapons development. "Yoon, a declared hardline conservative, will necessarily take a harsh posture toward Kim based on closer allied cooperation with the U.S. and perhaps also with Japan," he said.

"This, and China's teaming up with North Korea as well as Russia and Iran, together with dropping denuclearization from its policy toward North Korea in late March 2021, will surely push political relations between Seoul and Beijing to go down further, if not dramatically."

But at the same time, the professor noted that both sides will try to maintain profitable trade relations and referred to China's motivations to stay engaged with South Korea that go beyond trade.

"China has an important interest in preventing South Korea from getting involved more deeply in the U.S. and Japanese security system against China," he said.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, shakes hands with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan at his office in Yongsan, Seoul, before holding talks on Tuesday. The meeting took place after Yoon was sworn in as president earlier in the day. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks at his inauguration ceremony held at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Fei Xue, senior Asia analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, shared views that ties with China will continue to matter for Korea.

He said Seoul prioritizing its alliance with the U.S. to mitigate threats from Pyongyang and enhance supply chains of key industries and technologies "does not mean South Korea is willing to jeopardize its relations with China."

He added, "The government will strive to maintain cordial relations with China, not only because its export-oriented economy is deeply embedded in the supply chain network centered on China. China is and will continue to be an indispensable party to any resolution to North Korea's nuclear program."


Emailbkim@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Korea eyes launch of 4th Nuri space rocket in 2025 Korea eyes launch of 4th Nuri space rocket in 2025
2Memorial Day 2023 Memorial Day 2023
3Japanese destroyer flies controversial flag as it arrives in Korea for joint drill Japanese destroyer flies controversial flag as it arrives in Korea for joint drill
4Seoul on alert over Pyongyang's imminent spy satellite launch Seoul on alert over Pyongyang's imminent spy satellite launch
5Korea's household debt-to-GDP ratio highest among 34 major economies Korea's household debt-to-GDP ratio highest among 34 major economies
6[ANALYSIS] China's ban on Micron tests Washington-Seoul alliance ANALYSISChina's ban on Micron tests Washington-Seoul alliance
7Vietnam emerges as major market for Korean chipmakers Vietnam emerges as major market for Korean chipmakers
8Korea's diplomacy put to test amid signs of thaw in US-China relations Korea's diplomacy put to test amid signs of thaw in US-China relations
9Top 20% of income earners fuel increase in Q1 consumption as pandemic ends Top 20% of income earners fuel increase in Q1 consumption as pandemic ends
10Local governments appeal to young generations through YouTube Local governments appeal to young generations through YouTube
Top 5 Entertainment News
1SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal' SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal'
2ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood' ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood'
3'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes
4[INTERVIEW] Long-awaited extension of Korean Pavilion at Venice Biennale to be pushed forward INTERVIEWLong-awaited extension of Korean Pavilion at Venice Biennale to be pushed forward
5Chun Woo-hee becomes chameleon con artist in 'Delightfully Deceitful' Chun Woo-hee becomes chameleon con artist in 'Delightfully Deceitful'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group