Noh Jae-hun, South Korea's ambassador to China, stated that diplomatic efforts are underway to encourage China to play an active role in ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
During a National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee audit held at the South Korean embassy in Beijing on October 20, Noh said, "We are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula and changes in China-North Korea relations while continuing discussions with China." He emphasized, "We are explaining the South Korean government's vision for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and our stance on denuclearization, and we are requesting China to take a constructive role in urging North Korea to cease provocations and engage in dialogue and negotiations."
Regarding Korea-China relations, Noh noted that there has been progress in restoring ties, facilitated by exchanges between the leaders of both countries. Following Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to South Korea in November last year, President Lee Jae-myung visited China in January, and high-level exchanges continued with former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to China in June and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to South Korea in August.
Parliamentary exchanges between the two countries have also become more active. Noh explained that there have been 15 visits by South Korean lawmakers to China this year, indicating an expansion of parliamentary diplomacy. In the cultural sector, movements reflecting the resumption of exchanges between the two countries have emerged. The Korea-China co-produced opera 'Rigoletto' was performed in Daegu in April and in Beijing in September, and positive changes related to Korean Wave content have been observed, such as the appearance of singer G-Dragon on large outdoor billboards in major Chinese cities.
Noh requested the National Assembly's support for commemorative projects marking the 35th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relations next year. He also suggested the need to expand the budget and personnel at the South Korean embassy in China to respond to the growing bilateral relations and exchanges.
Human exchanges are also on the rise. According to Noh, 5.02 million Chinese tourists visited South Korea from January to August this year, a 27.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Visa applications submitted at eight Korean visa centers in China also reached approximately 1.24 million, a 43% increase from the previous year. The implementation of a visa-free entry system for Chinese group tourists has coincided with the expansion of tourism and human exchanges between the two countries.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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