South Korea, China To Open Diplomatic Talks On Korean Peninsula Issues

Seoul’s foreign ministry announced on Monday that South Korea and China will hold their first round of diplomatic and security talks on Tuesday, in line with an agreement reached last month.

In a statement, the ministry stated, “South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun and his Chinese counterpart Sun Weidong will lead the talks, which will be attended by senior defence officials from both sides”.

When South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese Premier Li Qiang met in Seoul last month for a summit that included Japan, they agreed to initiate the talks and resume free trade negotiations.

“During the meeting, the two countries plan to exchange views on issues of mutual interest including bilateral relations, Korean peninsula issues, and regional and international situations”, the ministry added.

The talks could overlap with a possible visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea, prompting Seoul and Washington to caution against further military exchanges that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Yoon has asked China and Russia to play a more active role as permanent members of the Security Council, as Pyongyang works to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities.

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