Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed on the need to “properly handle differences through friendly consultation,” as Lee raised a list of sensitive security and economic issues during their summit.
At the talks in Gyeongju, Lee brought up Chinese sanctions on U.S.-linked units of shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean. He also addressed the long-standing Chinese restrictions on South Korean entertainment, a punitive measure linked to the 2017 U.S. THAAD missile system deployment.
On the military front, Lee raised the issue of Chinese structures in disputed waters. Separately, South Korea’s defence minister confronted his Chinese counterpart about military activity in Korea’s Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ).
While Lee’s main goal was securing help on North Korea—a request Pyongyang rejected as a “pipe dream”—Xi’s public focus was on cooperation. Chinese state media reported Xi’s call to “respect each other’s social systems” and “accommodate core interests.”
The leaders successfully signed seven bilateral agreements, including a currency swap, demonstrating their ability to advance economic cooperation despite their numerous disagreements.