Lee Urges China to Restart North Korea Talks

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Gyeongju during Xi’s first visit to South Korea in 11 years, urging Beijing to strengthen strategic communication to help resume dialogue with North Korea. The two leaders signed several agreements, including a memorandum of understanding to tackle voice phishing and online scams, pacts to bolster services and trade cooperation, and a renewed currency swap. Xi said China values its relationship with Seoul, is willing to deepen cooperation, maintain policy consistency, and jointly address regional challenges. Lee emphasized balancing closer ties with both the United States and China, advocated “friendly competition” and new complementary economic cooperation models as China’s industrial and hi‑tech capabilities grow. Observers said Seoul aims to enlist Beijing’s support to reinvigorate engagement with Pyongyang amid recent high‑level China–North exchanges, even as North Korea has dismissed denuclearisation proposals as unrealistic.