Wi Sunglak, Director of the National Security Office, Briefs the Press
Expectations for Strengthening the Foundation of Political Goodwill and Enhancing Communication for Peace on the Korean Peninsula
Meetings Scheduled with Zhao Leji, Chairman of t
On January 5, President Lee Jaemyung will hold an official welcoming ceremony, summit meeting, memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony, and a state banquet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China. The Blue House views this state visit as a watershed moment for the full restoration of Korea-China relations and plans to put issues such as livelihood cooperation and peace on the Korean Peninsula on the agenda for the leaders' talks. In particular, the two countries have agreed to sign more than 10 MOUs, including those on livelihood and economic cooperation. This state visit to China will take place over four days and three nights from January 4 to January 7, during which President Lee will visit both Beijing and Shanghai.
Wi Seongrak, Director of the National Security Office, stated at a briefing at the Blue House's Chunchugwan on the morning of January 2, "On January 5, the President will attend the Korea-China Business Forum, where he will interact with representatives from both countries' business communities and discuss ways to create new areas of economic cooperation based on the complementary strengths of the two countries' industries, including manufacturing, consumer goods, and services." He added, "In the afternoon, the President will join President Xi for a schedule that includes the official welcoming ceremony, summit meeting, MOU signing ceremony, and state banquet. The number of MOUs to be signed exceeds 10, covering areas such as the economy, industry, climate and environment, and transportation."
Director Wi further emphasized, "This is a return visit taking place just over two months after President Xi's state visit to Korea in November last year. It is unprecedented for the leaders of Korea and China to pay state visits to each other's countries at two-month intervals and to hold their first diplomatic summit of the new year together."
The Blue House outlined the expected achievements of this visit as follows: ▲ Consolidation of the political and friendly foundation for the full restoration of Korea-China relations ▲ Strengthening of practical cooperation in livelihood areas based on horizontal and mutually beneficial cooperation ▲ Enhanced communication between Korea and China for peace on the Korean Peninsula ▲ Stable management of sensitive issues between the two countries. Director Wi stated, "Based on the deep friendship and solid trust between Korea and China, we will restore the strategic dialogue channel between the two countries and solidify the political foundation of bilateral relations." He added, "We will strengthen the preservation of sites related to the independence movement in China and promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges to further solidify the friendly foundation of Korea-China relations."
Plans to strengthen cooperation in livelihood sectors were also announced. Director Wi said, "By promoting horizontal and mutually beneficial cooperation in line with changes in the structure of Korea-China economic cooperation, we aim to achieve concrete and tangible results that allow the people of both countries to truly feel the full restoration of relations." He continued, "We will pursue win-win cooperation in areas directly related to the livelihoods of the Korean and Chinese people, such as supply chain investment, digital economy, venture startups, environment, climate change, people-to-people exchanges, tourism, and transnational crime response, leveraging each side's comparative advantages and expanding mutual benefits."
The summit will also serve as an opportunity to strengthen communication for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Director Wi stated, "We will ask China to play a constructive role so that the full restoration of Korea-China relations can contribute to creating a breakthrough for resolving issues on the Korean Peninsula. Livelihood and peace are inseparable, and both Korea and China share the common goal of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia." He added, "We will strengthen strategic communication between Korea and China to create a realistic path to resolving issues on the Korean Peninsula through practical efforts."
Director Wi also stated that sensitive issues between the two countries would be managed stably. He explained, "In line with the full restoration of Korea-China relations, we will work to make the West Sea a sea of peace and prosperity and gradually restore cultural content exchanges."
On the first day of the visit, January 4, President Lee will hold a dinner meeting with Korean nationals residing in China as his first official event upon arrival in Beijing. On January 6, he will meet Zhao Leji, Chairman of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, followed by a meeting and lunch with Premier Li Qiang, who is regarded as China's economic chief. Director Wi said he expects discussions with Chairman Zhao to focus on "promoting friendly sentiment between the peoples of Korea and China," and with Premier Li on "horizontal cooperation in line with changing times."
After completing his schedule in Beijing, President Lee will travel to Shanghai on January 6 for a dinner meeting with Chen Jining, Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee. The presidential office expects wide-ranging discussions at this meeting, including exchanges between local governments, people-to-people exchanges, and the preservation and management of sites related to the independence movement. On January 7, President Lee will attend the Korea-China Venture and Startup Summit in Shanghai, where he will interact with young entrepreneurs leading digital innovation in fields such as content, healthcare, infrastructure, and energy. The final official event of the state visit will be a visit to the former Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea building in Shanghai. Director Wi stated, "Following the 80th anniversary of Liberation in 2025, we will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Kim Gu's birth and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Provisional Government in Shanghai in 2026, honoring the sacrifices and dedication of independence activists and celebrating our shared historical experience."
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