Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit South Korea this week for discussions centered on Seoul’s renewed push for dialogue on the Korean Peninsula and the broader direction of South Korea-China relations.
According to Seoul's Foreign Ministry, Wang will make a two-day visit from Wednesday at the invitation of Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, and the two will hold talks Wednesday, followed by an official dinner.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Wang’s visit would provide an opportunity for the two sides to “review their bilateral ties that have been restored in full and prepare next high-level exchanges.”
On Thursday, Wang will pay a courtesy call on President Lee Jae Myung. The two will likely discuss the future direction of bilateral ties and the regional security environment. Seoul and Beijing are expected to review progress on agreements reached during the two summits between Lee and Xi — their first in Gyeongju in November 2025 and their second in Beijing in January — and discuss possible agenda items ahead of this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen in November.
In a separate meeting that day, Wang is also scheduled to meet National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac to discuss issues of mutual interest, including security on the Korean Peninsula and other international affairs.
The visit comes just days after Lee used his Liberation Day address to propose multiparty discussions aimed at formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War and moving the peninsula away from what he called an “unstable armistice system” toward a peace regime.
A Seoul Foreign Ministry official, requesting anonymity, said Tuesday that Lee’s broader vision for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula is expected to feature naturally in Wang’s meetings in Seoul.
Lee’s latest proposal is part of his administration's efforts to improve strained inter-Korean relations and support the resumption of dialogue between North Korea and the United States, with Seoul casting itself as a “pacemaker” for diplomacy.
The timing of Wang’s visit has added to expectations that North Korea will be a key topic.
US President Donald Trump said over the weekend that he had ordered a “substantial” reduction in South Korea-US combined military exercises, in what was widely interpreted as an attempt to create room for renewed engagement with Pyongyang.
Trump went further Monday, saying Kim had responded to his overture for dialogue and describing the interaction as “very positive.”
Against that backdrop, Seoul is expected to urge Beijing to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and supporting renewed dialogue involving North Korea.
China would be a central player in any effort to advance discussions on formally ending the Korean War, given its role in the 1953 armistice and its longstanding political and economic ties with Pyongyang.
Beijing, however, has so far maintained a cautious public posture toward the latest developments.
When asked about Beijing's position on related issues on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded with Beijing’s longstanding position, saying that safeguarding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and advancing the political settlement of the peninsula issue serve the common interests of all parties.
China has also yet to formally announce Wang’s planned visit as of Tuesday afternoon.
Asked to confirm Wang’s trip at a regular briefing, Lin did not directly answer, saying only that if there is any information, they plan to release it in due course.
Other potentially sensitive bilateral and regional issues could also surface, including Chinese structures in the Yellow Sea and tensions surrounding Taiwan.
Wang’s trip will mark his first standalone visit to South Korea since September 2021. His most recent talks with Cho took place in Beijing in September last year.
mkjung@heraldcorp.com