Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
Korea to seek progress on West Sea structure issue with China at summit
President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping talk at the welcome dinner for the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting at a hotel in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Oct.31, 2025. Courtesy of the presidential office
By Anna J. Park
'Seoul respects One China policy': national security adviser
President Lee Jae Myung will seek tangible progress on sensitive bilateral issues, including China’s installation of maritime structures in the West Sea and restrictions on Korea-China cultural exchanges, the so-called “Korean wave ban,” during an upcoming summit between the two countries' leaders slated for Beijing Monday.
Speaking at a press briefing Friday, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac stressed that a stable management of "sensitive bilateral issues” as one of the key anticipated outcomes of Lee’s visit to China next week.
“The West Sea issue was raised and discussed at the Korea-China summit held in Gyeongju last November, and working-level consultations have taken place since then. Based on the results of those consultations, we hope to make further progress,” Wi said.
“In line with the full restoration of Korea-China relations, we will work to turn the West Sea into a sea of peace and shared prosperity, while gradually and step by step restoring exchanges in cultural content,” the top national security official added.
The West Sea structures are large-scale installations that China has unilaterally deployed since 2022 within the Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ), a maritime area where the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Korea and China overlap. These include steel-legged, fixed structures resembling oil drilling platforms, advanced floating fish cages designed for deep-sea aquaculture and numerous management buoys — some equipped with lighthouse functions, which Seoul views as a sensitive sovereignty and maritime security concern.
The West Sea — which China refers to as the Yellow Sea — is a shallow body of water between China and the Korean Peninsula.
A steel structure in the form of an oil drilling rig that China unilaterally installed in 2022 in the Provisional Measures Zone of the West Sea where the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Korea and China overlap. The photo was released to the public by People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Eom Tae-young on April 24, 2025. Courtesy of PPP Rep. Eom
Regarding restrictions on cultural exchanges, Wi noted that “China’s official position is that there is no such thing as a ‘Korean wave ban,’ while the understanding of the situation from the Korean government is different."
Nevertheless, he emphasized that “there is a shared understanding on the importance of cultural exchanges,” explaining that the government aims to expand mutually acceptable areas of cooperation to address the issue constructively.
Wi also reaffirmed the Korean government’s official position that it “respects the One China policy,” in response to a question on the issue during the briefing.
“To be precise, we respect the One China policy,” Wi said. “And we are responding in accordance with that position. We will continue to do so.”
The remarks are widely interpreted as a message aimed at managing diplomatic sensitivities surrounding the Taiwan issue ahead of Lee’s visit to China. The Taiwan issue is a core point of contention in U.S.-China strategic competition and remains one of the most delicate matters in Korea’s foreign policy.
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speaks during a press briefing held at the presidential briefing room of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap
Wi said Lee's visit will mark the first instance of state-level summit diplomacy for both Korea and China in 2026. The summit comes just over two months after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Korea in November during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
“The fact that the leaders of Korea and China are making reciprocal state visits at two-month intervals and beginning the new year with summit diplomacy is unprecedented,” Wi said. “It is expected to serve as an opportunity to open a new chapter in the development of Korea-China relations.”
Wi also expressed hope that the visit will contribute to the full restoration of relations between the two countries and help strengthen a foundation of mutual goodwill.
“We will consolidate this momentum toward the full restoration of the Korea-China strategic cooperative partnership,” Wi emphasized. “Based on the deep friendship and solid trust between our two nations, we will restore strategic dialogue channels and firmly reinforce the political foundation of bilateral relations.”
President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands after signing the guest book ahead of the Korea-China summit held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Nov. 1, 2025. Courtesy of the presidential office
He said the meeting would also serve to strengthen communication between Korea and China in support of peace on the Korean Peninsula.
“We will urge China to play a constructive role so that the full restoration of Korea-China relations can also contribute to creating a breakthrough in resolving issues related to the Korean Peninsula,” Wi said. “People’s livelihoods and peace cannot be separated, and both Korea and China share the common goal of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.”
Lee is scheduled to arrive Sunday in Beijing, where he will begin by meeting with members of the Korean community living in China.
On Monday morning, he will attend the Korea-China Business Forum, engaging with leading figures from the business communities of both countries to discuss ways to create new areas of economic cooperation in various industries such as manufacturing, consumer goods and services.
Later on Monday afternoon, Lee will take part in a series of official engagements with Xi, beginning with a formal welcome ceremony, followed by a summit meeting, a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony and a state banquet.
On Tuesday, Lee is set to meet Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, who is regarded as China’s top legislative leader.
The Korean president will then hold talks and a luncheon meeting with Premier Li Qiang, China’s top economic policymaker. The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening ties between the people of Korea and China and exploring further economic cooperation.
Following his meetings in Beijing, Lee will travel to Shanghai, where he is scheduled to attend a dinner with Chen Jining, Communist Party secretary of Shanghai.
President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands after the state banquet held at a hotel in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Nov. 1, 2025. Courtesy of the presidential office
On Wednesday — the final day of the visit — Lee will attend the two countries' venture and startup event to be held in Shanghai. There, he is expected to engage with young entrepreneurs from both countries who are leading digital-driven innovation in fields such as content, health care, infrastructure and energy, to deepen a future-oriented pillar of bilateral cooperation.
Later, as the final official event of his state visit to China, Lee will visit the former site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in the city.
“Through strengthened preservation of Korean independence movement historical sites in China and by revitalizing people-to-people and cultural exchanges, we will continue to solidify the foundation of goodwill in Korea-China relations,” Wi said.
Meanwhile, in response to questions about whether a K-pop concert is being planned during this state visit, Wi said the trip had been arranged on a relatively short timeline, adding that the government hopes to continue discussions so such an event can be held in the future.