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China-South Korea security disputes could stymie Xi Jinping’s visit to Seoul, analysts say
- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has extended invitation to Chinese leader, who last travelled to the country in 2014
- Seoul’s deployment of THAAD anti-missile system and cosier ties with US are obstacles to Xi’s trip, according to observers
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South Korea and China must resolve their security differences if Chinese President Xi Jinping is to follow through on an invitation last month to visit Seoul, according to observers.
The invitation from Xi’s South Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk-yeol, was extended during talks at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, and Xi said he would “gladly accept … once the pandemic comes under control”, according to the South Korean Office of the President.
“China wishes to maintain and develop the China-South Korea relationship together with South Korea, strengthen communication and cooperation on multilateral platforms,” Xi said before the talks.
The visit came up again last week during online discussion between the two countries’ foreign ministers, with South Korea’s Park Jin asking Wang Yi to continue discussions about Xi’s visit to Seoul.
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The last time Xi visited South Korea was in July 2014. Relations have been strained since 2017 over Seoul’s deployment of the US-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system (THAAD), a sophisticated radar and anti-missile system.
South Korea says the system is needed to fend off an attack from nuclear-armed North Korea while China says its radars are a national security threat because they can see into its territory.
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North Korea claims to have built a spy satellite, tested above South Korean capital
North Korea claims to have built a spy satellite, tested above South Korean capital
The dispute descended into an unofficial boycott of South Korean goods in China and Chinese tour groups stayed away.
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