Can China’s deepening image crisis in S. Korea be reversed?
Police stand between the Chinese Embassy and protesters holding an anti-China rally in the Myeong-dong shopping district of downtown Seoul, Aug. 13. Korea Times photo by Choi Ju-yeon
By Alyssa Chen
As resentment toward China rises in South Korea, experts urge cultural outreach, diplomatic reforms
Just two decades ago, many South Koreans viewed China favorably while eyeing the United States with a degree of skepticism. Today, the tables have turned — around 70 to 80 percent of South Koreans now hold unfavorable views of China, marking a striking reversal in public sentiment.
Experts at a Korea-China relations forum in Seoul last week highlighted this stark shift, emphasizing the need for greater efforts from the Chinese government to improve its image in South Korea.
At the forum, co-hosted by the Seoul-based Institute for Global Strategy and Cooperation and the Beijing-based Global Governance Institution, experts acknowledged that the negative sentiment toward China currently permeating South Korean society is a pressing issue. They stressed the importance of expanding cooperation and rebuilding mutual trust.
A poll released earlier this year by the Institute for Future Strategy at Seoul National University and the Chosun Ilbo found that younger South Koreans hold overwhelmingly negative views of China, ranking it only marginally above North Korea. While more than 40 percent of respondents across all age groups saw China as a potential partner, that share dropped to roughly 30 percent among those in their 20s and 30s.
Lee Min-ja, a professor at Seoul Digital University, said the overwhelmingly unfavorable views of China among South Korea’s younger generation pose a serious challenge.
To tackle this issue, Lee emphasized the need to move beyond the Hallyu restrictions and resume cultural exchanges between the two countries, while expanding university-level exchanges to improve perceptions and nurture mutual understanding.
Lee Moon-ki, a professor at Sejong University, pointed to a growing concern over the rise of indiscriminate hostility and xenophobia toward China, fueled by far-right political forces in South Korea.
These groups have moved beyond mere criticism of China, staging anti-China protests across Seoul and even gathering in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit two weeks ago to voice their dissatisfaction.
Anti-China protesters hold South Korean and U.S. flags outside an air base at Gimhae International Airport in Busan on Oct. 30, 2025, as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP-Jung Yeon-je
The protests are rooted in lingering resentment over Beijing’s economic retaliation following South Korea’s 2016 deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system, as well as conservative support for former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
In response, President Lee Jae Myung has ordered strong measures to curb anti-China rallies and hate speech. Experts believe this move could help ease the situation, noting that far-right groups represent only a small segment of South Korean society.
“However, the deeper issue lies in managing the widespread negative feelings that most Koreans continue to hold toward China,” Lee Moon-ki said, calling for action not only from the Korean government, academia and media, but also from the Chinese government, which he stressed needs to fundamentally reassess its diplomatic messaging and outreach.
Citing moments such as Xi’s praise for Hwangnam bread, a famous traditional Korean pastry and signature local specialty of Gyeongju, and his lighthearted quips about Xiaomi phones and software security, Lee said those encounters left many South Koreans with a favorable impression and briefly buoyed China’s image.
“Although spontaneous, it exemplifies the kind of well-calculated, human touch that China’s diplomacy toward Korea could greatly benefit from intentionally incorporating in the future.”
He also urged Beijing to undertake “a complete review of its Korea-related public diplomacy” and to deeply analyze why Koreans nowadays feel so resentful towards China, so it can make further adjustments to its public diplomacy.
President Lee Jae Myung smiles with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a banquet at Lahan Select Gyeongju in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Courtesy of presidential office
Meanwhile, experts at the forum emphasized that addressing negative perceptions requires not only concrete efforts but also the proper and effective management of bilateral concerns, which could play a key role in improving China’s image in South Korea.
Hong Hyun-ik, senior fellow at the Sejong Institute and former chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, emphasized that the Lee administration’s proactive and balanced approach to improving inter-Korean relations presents an opportunity for China to take on a more constructive role.
“If China were to encourage North Korea to refrain from provocations or even halt certain military developments, it could greatly contribute to stabilizing the region,” he said. “Such actions would also help improve Korean public perceptions of China and strengthen bilateral trust.”
Hong also added that mutual trust could be improved if Beijing took stronger measures to control Chinese fishermen’s behavior in the West Sea.
Alyssa Chen is a reporter with the South China Morning Post. She is currently based in Seoul, writing for both The Korea Times and the South China Morning Post under an exchange program.