S. Korea conveys concern to China over N. Korea's silence on denuclearization

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Sept. 4, 2025. Reuters-Yonhap

The South Korean government reportedly raised concerns with China over growing speculation that Beijing is tacitly condoning North Korea's nuclear weapons, a perception fueled by China's recent silence on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

According to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nam Jin, director general of its Northeast and Central Asian Affairs Bureau, met Wednesday with Director-General Liu Jinsong of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Liu was visiting Korea, and the two discussed the North Korean nuclear issue and other matters.

Speculation that China is effectively tolerating North Korea's nuclear arsenal gained traction after the North Korea-China summit in Pyongyang this month did not publicly address denuclearization.

The South Korean government reportedly conveyed its position that theories suggesting China is condoning North Korea's nuclear weapons are undesirable and unhelpful to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Despite these concerns, the government reportedly believes China is not condoning North Korea's nuclear weapons, citing Beijing's consistent efforts to preserve continuity and stability on the peninsula.

China's strong support for nuclear nonproliferation as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, along with its concerns over potential nuclear armament in Japan, are seen as reasons it is unlikely to change its existing policy on denuclearization.

The two sides also reviewed friendship-building projects agreed upon by the two countries' leaders, including the loan of pandas.

“Both sides agreed to solidify the trend toward fully restoring South Korea-China relations, established through the two leaders' mutual state visits last November and this January,” Nam said, adding that both sides would sustain high-level exchanges and implement follow-up measures before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen this November.