South Korea Balances US and China, Seeking Help on Pyongyang

President Lee Jae Myung is navigating a complex geopolitical landscape, reinforcing ties with the U.S. while simultaneously appealing to China for help with North Korea. Lee hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping for a summit, emphasizing the need for strategic communication to resume dialogue with Pyongyang.
Elected in June, Lee has pledged to strengthen the U.S. alliance without antagonising China. His balancing act was on full display, coming just after U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit, which yielded a trade deal. Trump, however, departed before the main APEC leaders’ summit that Xi attended.
During the Gyeongju summit, Xi called South Korea an “inseparable cooperative partner” and signed seven economic agreements. However, Chinese state media reports omitted any mention of the North Korea issue, focusing instead on Xi’s proposals for handling “differences through friendly consultation.”
The core of Lee’s request centers on his phased denuclearisation plan. This effort was immediately undermined by North Korea, which called the plan a “pipe dream” and reiterated its refusal to ever talk to Seoul, its designated “main enemy.”
The summit also highlighted domestic and economic tensions. Hundreds protested Xi’s visit in Seoul, and Lee raised concerns with Xi over Chinese sanctions on a South Korean firm and the long-standing ban on Korean entertainment content linked to the THAAD missile defense system.