South Korea eyes Xi’s APEC visit to advance regional cooperation

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on September 17 that he understands Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

He added that the matter will be discussed during his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing later in the day, according to reports in Korean media.

Cho made the remarks at Gimpo International Airport shortly before departing for Beijing. His two-day trip marks the first top-level diplomatic engagement between the two countries since the Lee Jae Myung administration took office in early June. The formal talks with Wang will be followed by a working dinner.

"From what I understand, President Xi will visit South Korea for the APEC summit," Cho told reporters. "We will have detailed discussions in relation to the matter."

The APEC summit is scheduled to take place in southern South Korea from October 31 to November 1.

While Beijing has not officially confirmed Xi’s attendance, he is widely expected to join, particularly as China will host APEC in 2026. Seoul views Xi’s potential visit as an opportunity to reaffirm stable bilateral relations and create space for leaders to address key regional issues, including North Korea.

Cho’s trip comes at a time when Seoul is navigating delicate ties between Beijing and Washington. Following his meeting with US President Donald Trump late last month, President Lee Jae Myung acknowledged that Washington’s efforts to counter China have narrowed South Korea’s room to maintain the economic relationship with Beijing it had in previous decades. This shift has drawn Seoul closer to US policy and strengthened its trilateral cooperation with Washington and Tokyo.

Beijing, however, has emphasised that its relations with Seoul should not be influenced by a third country. The Lee government, meanwhile, is also seeking to restore inter-Korean dialogue, which stalled under the previous conservative administration, despite North Korea’s repeated rejection of overtures and its growing ties with Russia.

Cho said he plans to discuss with Wang “ways to further develop our cooperative relationship and ease tensions in Northeast Asia.”

In its foreign policy outline finalised on September 16, the Lee government reaffirmed its intention to advance ties with China in areas such as supply chain resilience, while also seeking Beijing’s support for North Korea’s denuclearisation and renewed inter-Korean engagement.

North Korea is expected to be a central topic of discussion, especially after Kim Jong-un’s rare appearance earlier this month at China’s Victory Day celebrations in Beijing, where he stood alongside Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"As Chairman Kim Jong-un (of North Korea) recently visited China, I will also hear their views on that and discuss North Korea-related issues," Cho said at the airport.

Cho is anticipated to press Beijing to play a constructive role in helping Seoul restore relations and resume dialogue with Pyongyang. He may also seek clarification of China’s position on the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, as Beijing notably omitted any reference to the issue following Xi’s talks with Kim during the commemorations marking the end of World War II.

Meanwhile, North Korea’s state media reported last week that Kim is preparing to unveil a new policy of pursuing both nuclear and conventional weapons development at the upcoming party congress.

Beyond the North Korea issue, Cho and Wang are also expected to address other bilateral disputes, including tensions over China’s construction of steel structures in overlapping waters of the Yellow Sea.

By Tamilla Hasanova