On January 7, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said that he had made much progress in restoring trust with Beijing, and proposed that Chinese President Xi Jinping play an intermediary role in Seoul's efforts to contact Pyongyang.
Speaking to the media in Shanghai, President Lee Jae Myung said that in talks on January 5 with President Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader emphasized the need for patience when discussing North Korea's nuclear issue.
The South Korean President said he presented the efforts that Seoul is implementing to dialogue and improve relations with Pyongyang, and requested Mr. Xi Jinping to play an intermediary role in promoting peace on the Korean peninsula.
President Xi Jinping has acknowledged our efforts so far and said that patience is needed," said Lee Jae Myung.
President Lee Jae Myung is on a state visit to China (from January 4-7), in which the meeting with President Xi Jinping marks the second time the two leaders have held talks in less than three months.
At the talks, the two leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral strategic partnerships, promote substantive cooperation and promote coordination in multilateral mechanisms. President Xi Jinping emphasized that China always values relations with South Korea in regional diplomacy, maintaining stability and consistency in its approach to Seoul.
President Lee Jae Myung said that Seoul wants to take advantage of the first summit meeting this year to consolidate the momentum of comprehensive recovery and develop bilateral relations, in the spirit of seeking similarities and respecting differences. He emphasized that South Korea respects China's core interests and major concerns, and affirmed that it will continue to adhere to the principle of "one China".
