[2020 National Audit] Kang Kyung-wha on Xi Jinping's remark "Korean War was US imperialist invasion": "North Korea's invasion is a historical fact"

Minister Kang: "We Are Conveying Our Position and Taking Necessary Measures"
"It Is Difficult to Predict President Xi Jinping's Visit to Korea This Year"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha reiterated that "North Korea's invasion of the South is an undeniable historical fact" in response to Chinese President Xi Jinping's characterization of the Korean War as "an American imperialist invasion" during his speech commemorating the 70th anniversary of China's participation in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.

On the 26th, during the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee's audit, Kang responded to Rep. Kim Ki-hyun's question about whether South Korea would strongly respond to China's historical distortion remarks by saying, "We have conveyed our position to China and are taking necessary measures."

She added, "The United Nations Security Council resolution clearly states that the Korean War broke out due to North Korea's invasion of the South," and "Since this is an undeniable historical fact, the international community is well aware of this issue."

President Xi attended the 70th anniversary event of China's participation in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the morning of the 23rd, claiming that China's involvement in the Korean War was to suppress American imperialist aggression and protect China's security. Xi stated, "With the participation of the Chinese army, imperialist aggression and expansion were suppressed," and "China's War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea was a war that demonstrated the status of the new great power of China not only in Asia but worldwide, and showed the firm determination of the Chinese people to maintain world peace." China commemorates October 25, 1950, the date of its first victory against U.S. and South Korean forces during the Korean War, as an annual event.

The U.S. State Department also directly refuted President Xi's remarks regarding the outbreak of the Korean War. Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, tweeted, "The Chinese Communist Party claims that the Korean War simply 'broke out' 70 years ago, but in fact, it was North Korea's invasion of the South on June 25, 1950, supported by Mao Zedong," adding, "While free nations fought back, the Chinese Communist Party crossed the Yalu River and sent hundreds of thousands of troops, bringing devastation to the Korean Peninsula." The U.S. Embassy in South Korea translated the spokesperson's tweet into Korean and posted it on its website.

Meanwhile, Kang said it is difficult to predict whether President Xi will visit South Korea within this year. She stated, "There is a consensus to proceed as soon as the COVID-19 situation stabilizes," but added, "It is difficult to definitively say that it will happen within this year." Regarding the Korea-China-Japan summit, she explained, "As the chair country, we have the position that it would be good to hold it within this year and are communicating with China and Japan," but noted, "The date has not yet been set."