2 d. ago South Korean leader Lee takes ‘pragmatic approach’ to reset ties with China, Japan

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s back-to-back visits to China and Japan suggest a “pragmatic approach” to reset ties with both countries as tensions soar between Beijing and Tokyo, analysts said. Lee met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday during a two-day trip to Japan. Speaking to reporters after their summit in Nara – Takaichi’s hometown – Lee said there was “unprecedented turmoil” in the global political landscape and trade order. He stressed the need for South Korea and...

Politics

5 d. ago Japan’s Takaichi seeks unity with South Korea’s Lee as China tensions persist

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will push for closer ties with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a summit on Tuesday, as Tokyo struggles to draw a line under its widening diplomatic dispute with China. Both sides will focus on security challenges and Takaichi is expected to avoid “divisive” issues, while Lee, who last week met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, will try to achieve a “neutral” stance, analysts say. Lee’s two-day visit to Nara, Takaichi’s hometown, comes at a...

Events

5 d. ago Hong Kong Legco president sets up group of coordinators to improve efficiency

Hong Kong’s new Legislative Council president has formed a group of lawmakers to act as coordinators in a bid to make the body more efficient and effective. The 12-member group will have fellow lawmakers Ronick Chan Chun-ying, who represents the finance sector, and Stanley Ng Chau-pei of the Federation of Trade Unions as its “chief coordinators”, Legco president Starry Lee Wai-king said. In a Facebook post, the Legco president said she met fellow legislators on Monday morning and briefed them on...

Politics

5 d. ago New Hong Kong Legco president sets up group of coordinators to improve efficiency

Hong Kong’s new Legislative Council president has formed a group of lawmakers to act as coordinators in a bid to make the body more efficient and effective. Legco president Starry Lee Wai-king said on Monday that the 12-member group would have fellow lawmakers Ronick Chan Chun-ying, who represents the finance sector, and Stanley Ng Chau-pei of the Federation of Trade Unions as its “chief coordinators”. In a Facebook post, Lee said she met fellow legislators on Monday morning and briefed them on...

Politics

7 d. ago Companies eye Chinese market after President Lee suggests that Beijing may lift 'K

Companies eye Chinese market after President Lee suggests that Beijing may lift 'K-culture ban'  Korea JoongAng Daily

Politics

7 d. ago North Korea: the elephant in the room when Xi met Lee in Beijing

The leaders of South Korea and China wrapped up a summit this week with both underlining support for one of Beijing’s diplomatic priorities but making no tangible progress on North Korea, Seoul’s main concern. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday for a high-stakes summit held just over nine weeks after their first meeting. During the trip, Lee declared 2026 as the year for the “full restoration of South Korea-China relations” and Xi...

Politics

8 d. ago North Korea revives drone claims in rebuff to Seoul’s outreach

North Korea’s latest accusations that South Korean drones violated its airspace appear aimed at painting Seoul as a permanent enemy ahead of a key party congress, rather than addressing an actual security breach, analysts say. By reviving claims of cross-border incursions and threatening retaliation, the North is reinforcing its portrayal of inter-Korean relations as irreversibly hostile – just as South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung seeks to reopen channels of communication. Lee, who took...

Events

1 week ago Chinese President Xi Jinping urges Seoul to be ‘patient’ over North Korean nuclear talks

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “patience” over North Korea’s nuclear programme, the South’s president, Lee Jae Myung, said on Wednesday. Speaking during a visit to Shanghai, Lee said he had asked Xi to act as a “mediator for peace” on the Korean peninsula, including on the nuclear issue. He said all channels between the North and South had been blocked and there was “zero trust” between the two sides. “President Xi noted the efforts until now and said patience is needed,” Lee said. He...

Politics

1 week ago Li Qiang and Lee Jae Myung back free trade and multilateralism during Beijing talks

Premier Li Qiang called for multilateralism and free trade in his meeting with visiting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday and said China would promote cooperation in emerging fields such as high-end manufacturing, new energy and artificial intelligence (AI). Li said China aimed to expand “the breadth and depth of cooperation” to achieve more practical outcomes and was willing to expand market access and integration, according to Beijing’s account of the meeting. “We stand ready to...

Politics

1 week ago President Lee’s China Visit Puts Spotlight on Game Industry — Krafton and Tencent Hold High

President Lee’s China Visit Puts Spotlight on Game Industry — Krafton and Tencent Hold High-Level Talks  Inven Global

Politics

1 week ago ROK President Lee Jae Myung attends China–ROK Business Forum

ROK President Lee Jae Myung attends China–ROK Business Forum  news.cgtn.com

Politics

1 week ago Chinese President Xi Jinping urges South Korea to ‘make correct strategic choices’

China and South Korea have a shared responsibility for regional stability and should make the “correct strategic choice”, President Xi Jinping told his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung on Monday, as Seoul seeks to turn the page on recent tensions in their relationship. Xi said the international landscape was becoming increasingly turbulent and complex as changes on a scale “unseen in a century are rapidly unfolding across the world”, according to state broadcaster CCTV. As beneficiaries of...

Politics

1 week ago President Lee calls China 'key partner' in peace between Koreas

President Lee calls China 'key partner' in peace between Koreas  Korea.net

Politics

1 week ago Starry Lee or Ronick Chan? Lawmakers’ choice will reveal their priorities

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu swore in the new Legislative Council on January 1 without issue, even though a few lawmakers had to redo their oaths. And the first order of business for them is to elect the council president in a vote expected on January 8. Whether Lee’s message to Legco members – calling on them to be “representatives of the public”, and to prioritise the interests of the nation and Hong Kong over personal political gain and glory – is heard and how they interpret...

Politics

1 week ago President Lee Begins First State Visit to Beijing in Seven Years

President Lee Begins First State Visit to Beijing in Seven Years  조선일보

Politics

1 week ago Strengthening ties: ROK President Lee Jae Myung outlines goals for China visit

Strengthening ties: ROK President Lee Jae Myung outlines goals for China visit  news.cgtn.com

Politics

2 w. ago President Lee Jae Myung arrives in Beijing for first state visit of the year

President Lee Jae Myung arrives in Beijing for first state visit of the year  The Korea Times

Politics

2 w. ago ROK President Lee Jae Myung arrives in Beijing for state visit

ROK President Lee Jae Myung arrives in Beijing for state visit  news.cgtn.com

Politics

2 w. ago Pyongyang fires ballistic missiles as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung makes state visit to China

Pyongyang fires ballistic missiles as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung makes state visit to China  CNN

Events

2 w. ago China conflict won’t benefit South Korea, Lee Jae Myung says ahead of state visit

Ahead of his state visit to China, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said that while security cooperation with the US was an “unavoidable reality” for Seoul, its relations with Beijing should not move towards confrontation. In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Friday, Lee called for more frequent leader-level dialogues – at least annually – to explore mutually beneficial opportunities amid an increasingly complex global environment. His four-day trip to China, set to begin...

Events