What did China tell South Korea about Kim Jong-un’s visit to Dandong?

During Wang Yi’s talks with Cho Hyun, the Chinese side described Kim’s Oct. 24 trip to Dandong and said China’s relations with North Korea focus on economic cooperation rather than political affairs. A South Korean official said the account was relatively detailed.

How likely did South Korean officials consider a U.S.-North Korea summit, and what could affect it?

A South Korean official said a summit was possible but not very likely. The official said its prospects would likely depend on the situation in the United States and President Donald Trump’s willingness.

Beijing details N. Korean leader's China visit in FM talks with Seoul: official

Q: What did South Korea ask China to do about North Korea and Korean Peninsula issues?

Cho Hyun called on China to play a constructive role in resolving Korean Peninsula issues, including efforts to bring North Korea back to dialogue, according to Seoul’s foreign ministry.

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Summary

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s Oct. 24 visit to Dandong during talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Beijing on Friday. A South Korean official said China described its relationship with North Korea as focused on economic cooperation rather than political affairs. The talks also covered a possible U.S.-North Korea summit, which the official assessed as possible but unlikely. Cho urged China to help bring North Korea back to dialogue.

Key Facts

The South Korean official said the Chinese side provided relatively detailed accounts of Kim’s visit and Wang’s meeting with senior North Korean ruling party official Kim Song-nam.
The official said a possible U.S.-North Korea summit would likely depend on the situation in the United States and President Donald Trump’s willingness.
Seoul’s foreign ministry said Cho called on China to play a constructive role in resolving Korean Peninsula issues, including efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 14, 2026 2:22 pm KST

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attend a bilateral meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Nov. 13. Yonhap

BEIJING — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's recent visit to China during talks with his South Korean counterpart, a senior South Korean official said Saturday.

The Chinese side explained Kim's trip to the Chinese border city of Dandong on Oct. 24 during Wang's talks with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Beijing on Friday, according to the foreign ministry official.

"(The Chinese side) said that at a basic level, China's relations with North Korea are focused on economic cooperation rather than on political affairs," the official told reporters. "(We) were able to hear relatively detailed accounts."

The official added the talks also touched on Wang's meeting with Kim Song-nam, a senior North Korean ruling party official, who visited Beijing last week.

The official said the Chinese side also discussed the possibility of a U.S.-North Korea summit amid speculation over the possibility of renewed diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang.

"My impression (after the talks) was that while there is a possibility, it is not that big," the official said, noting that it would likely depend on the U.S. situation and U.S. President Donald Trump's willingness.

During Friday's talks, Cho called on China to play a constructive role in resolving Korean Peninsula issues, including efforts to bring North Korea back to dialogue, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.

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