Busan – Foreign Minister Park Jin of South Korea held a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Busan on Sunday, just hours before a scheduled trilateral meeting that would also include Japan's foreign minister.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the talks occurred against the backdrop of recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, particularly following North Korea's claim of successfully launching and placing a military spy satellite into orbit after two failed attempts in May and August.
In response to North Korea's actions, South Korea partially revoked a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction accord. Subsequently, North Korea announced its intention to restore all military measures previously halted under the agreement. These latest developments were expected to dominate the agenda in the discussions between Park and Wang.
China, as a key player in regional diplomacy, has urged all parties involved to maintain calm and restraint regarding the satellite launch. The Chinese foreign ministry stated its commitment to playing a constructive role in fostering peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. A file photo provided by Park's office shows Foreign Minister Park Jin and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shaking hands prior to their bilateral talks in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 14, 2023.
Another critical topic likely addressed was the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. South Korea and the United States suspect that North Korea has been receiving space rocket technology assistance from Russia, in return for supplying weapons and munitions for the conflict in Ukraine.
Park was also expected to raise the issue of China's forced repatriation of North Korean defectors from its northeastern region in October. China, as a key ally of Pyongyang, does not recognize North Korean defectors as refugees and has a policy of repatriating them, where they face the risk of severe punishment.
The talks were also likely to include discussions on enhancing bilateral relations between South Korea and China. This includes exploring ways to foster high-level communication and people-to-people exchanges. Critics have pointed out that relations between Beijing and Seoul have cooled recently, attributing this to President Yoon Suk Yeol's foreign policy, which seeks closer ties with the U.S. and Japan, differing from the previous administration's approach. Under Yoon, South Korea aims to develop a "healthy and more mature" relationship with Beijing.
Wang Yi's visit to Busan, which began on Saturday, marks his first trip to South Korea since September 2021.