Sunday, October 2, 2025-South Korean President Lee has appealed directly to Chinese President Xi Jinping to help reopen communication channels with North Korea, marking Seoul’s most overt diplomatic outreach to Beijing in years.
During a regional summit, Lee urged Xi to use China’s influence over Pyongyang to defuse escalating tensions and bring North Korea back to the negotiating table. The request comes amid heightened missile tests, military drills near the border, and growing concerns about potential nuclear escalation in the Korean Peninsula.
China, North Korea’s main economic and political ally, has historically played a key role in mediating between Seoul, Washington, and Pyongyang. However, recent years have seen Beijing adopt a more cautious stance, focusing on its own strategic rivalry with the United States.
President Lee’s appeal signals a pragmatic shift in South Korea’s foreign policy, seeking stability through dialogue rather than deterrence alone even as Seoul continues to deepen its security ties with Washington and Tokyo.
Analysts say Lee’s outreach could test the delicate balance between China’s regional ambitions and its desire to prevent a new security crisis on its doorstep. If Beijing responds positively, it could reopen a vital diplomatic corridor that’s been dormant since 2019.
But if China remains noncommittal, South Korea may be forced to pursue unilateral or U.S.-led strategies risking further strain with its powerful neighbor. Either way, the message is clear: peace in the peninsula may once again depend on China’s willingness to act.
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