China–South Korea relations

Last updated
China–South Korea relations
China South Korea Locator.png
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
China
Flag of South Korea.svg
South Korea
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of China, Seoul Korean Embassy, Beijing
Envoy
Charge d'affaires Fang Kun Ambassador Chung Jae-ho  [ ko ]
Chinese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. Kr-china-embassy 201604.JPG
Chinese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea.
South Korean Embassy in Beijing, China. Han Guo Zhu Zhong Guo Da Shi Guan .jpg
South Korean Embassy in Beijing, China.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) formally established modern diplomatic relations in August 1992. South Korea was the last Asian country to establish relations with the People's Republic of China. In recent years, China and South Korea have endeavored to boost their strategic and cooperative partnership in numerous sectors, as well as promoting a high level relationship. [1] Trade, tourism and multiculturalism, specifically, have been the most important factors of strengthening two neighbouring countries' cooperative partnership. Despite this, historical, political and cultural disputes have still played several roles on the relations between South Korea and China, especially with China being politically aligned with North Korea. [2]

Contents

Both nations have been bound together by a shared history, including an overlap in cuisine, religion, a common language script and legal systems, and kinship ties that reach back thousands of years, especially during the Song and Ming Dynasty, where it shared a close trade and diplomatic relationship with Goryeo and the Joseon Dynasty respectively. The Ming and Joseon emerged after the invasion of the Mongols and shared close Confucian ideals in its society. Furthermore, the Ming had assisted Joseon during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea, in which the Wanli Emperor sent a total of 221,500 troops. [3] Joseon had also used Classical Chinese as a common script alongside Korean, and its central government was modelled after the Chinese system. [4] [5]

Contemporary relations between China and South Korea are characterized by extensive trading and economic relations. China is by far South Korea's largest trading partner, with China importing goods worth $160 billion from South Korea in 2018, which comprised 26% of South Korea's total exports. 21% of South Korea's imports also came from China, worth $107 billion in 2018. [6] In 2015, China and South Korea signed the bilateral China–South Korea Free Trade Agreement which aimed to boost annual bilateral trade to over $300 billion, while lifting both countries' GDP. [7] In November 2020, China and South Korea, along with 13 other Asia-Pacific nations, signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the largest free-trade agreement in history which covers 30% of the world's population and economic output. [8] China, South Korea and Japan are also engaged in long-running negotiations for a trilateral free-trade agreement which would further integrate their economies. [9]

Relations deteriorated considerably after South Korea announced its intentions to deploy THAAD, a move that China strongly opposed. China imposed an unofficial boycott on South Korea in an attempt to stop them from deploying the missile system. [10] However, at the end of October 2017, the two countries ended the 1-year-long diplomatic dispute and have been working swiftly to get their relationship back on track since, strengthening exchanges and cooperation between each other, creating harmony of interests, and agreeing to resume exchanges and cooperation in all areas. All economic and cultural bans from China towards South Korea were also lifted as a result, with political and security cooperation, businesses and cultural exchanges between the two countries getting back to healthy state. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Upon the relationship's resumption, China and South Korea have been organizing presidential and governmental visits, working together on the Korean Peninsula, assisting with the development of other countries, and cooperating in numerous areas. [15] [16] [17] [18]

Description

In 1983, relations between China and South Korea were normalized, deepening economic and political ties. Since then, China and South Korea had upgraded their relationship in five phases: In 1983, it was a “friendly cooperative relationship”; in 1998, it was called a “collaborative partnership for the 21st century”; in 2003, it was described as a “comprehensive cooperative partnership”; in 2008, it was considered a “strategic cooperative partnership”; and in 2014 it was called an “enriched strategic cooperative partnership”. [19] [20]

Since 2004, China is the main trade partner of Korea and is considered a key player for the improvement of inter-Korean relationships. South Korea is perceived by China as the weakest link in the US alliance network in Northeast Asia. North Korea's nuclear issue and U.S. military support to South Korea have been the main threats to bilateral ties in recent years. [2]

During the presidency of Park Geun-Hye, [2] a “balanced diplomacy” was restored, which President Moon Jae-in has also followed. [21] In recent years South Korea has avoided supporting the United States statements against China to avoid conflict. [22]

History of relations

Background

Diplomatic relations between the Qing dynasty and the Korean Empire were established on September 11, 1899, but relations were halted in 1905 as a result of the Eulsa Treaty that made Korea a Japanese protectorate and which was then annexed by the Empire of Japan in 1910. Later, the Republic of China government recognized the formation of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea on April 13, 1919, as one of the participants of the Cairo Conference, which resulted in the Cairo Declaration. One of the main purposes of the Cairo Declaration was to create an independent Korea, free from Japanese colonial rule. [23] Bilateral diplomatic relations between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Republic of China were re-established in 1948, just after the foundation of the First Republic, hence making China, the first country to recognize the Republic of Korea as the sole legitimate government of Korea. During the Cold War, the People's Republic of China recognized only the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) while South Korea in turn recognized only the Republic of China (Taiwan).[ citation needed ]

Korean War

The newly established People's Republic of China participated in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953, sending the People's Volunteer Army to fight alongside the Soviet Union against the United States and United Nations troops in October 1950. It successfully drove the invading UN forces out of North Korea, but its own invasion of the South itself was repelled. The participation of the PVA strained relations between South Korea and China. The Korean War concluded in July 1953, resulting in the establishment of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, and the eventual withdrawal of Chinese forces from the Korean Peninsula. However, US troops have still remained in South Korea to this day.

Cold War

Throughout the Cold War, there were no official relations between the PRC and ROK. The PRC maintained close relations with North Korea, and South Korea maintained diplomatic relations with the Republic of China in Taiwan. This hindered trade between Seoul and Beijing, because South Korea was unable to protect its citizens and business interests in China without some form of international agreements. Beijing's economic needs involving South Korea were initially eclipsed by those of Moscow.[ clarification needed ]

Relations under Park and Chun (1961–1983)

President Park Chung-hee initiated and President Chun Doo-hwan advanced a policy of establishing relations with China and the Soviet Union, and attempting to improve those with North Korea. China and the USSR had significant sway in determining the future of the Korean Peninsula. Good relations with old allies of North Korea were therefore integral to the Nordpolitik policy.

Seoul's official contact with Beijing started by the landing of a hijacked CAAC Flight 296 in May 1983. China sent a delegation of thirty-three officials to Seoul to negotiate its return. This marked the beginning of a series of casual exchanges of citizens. For example, in March 1984, a South Korean tennis team visited Kunming for a Davis Cup match with a Chinese team. In April 1984, a thirty-four-member Chinese basketball team arrived in Seoul to participate in the Eighth Asian Junior Basketball Championships. Some Chinese officials reportedly paid quiet visits to South Korea to inspect its industries, while South Korean officials visited China to attend a range of international conferences.

Late 1980s

Active South Korean-Chinese individual contacts have been encouraged. Academics, journalists, and particularly families divided between South Korea and China were able to exchange visits freely in the late 1980s. Significant numbers of citizens of each country reside in the other. As of 2009, more than 600,000 PRC citizens reside in South Korea, of whom 70% are ethnic Koreans from the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China's Jilin Province and other parts of China, while roughly 560,000 South Korean citizens lived in China. [24] [25]

Post–Cold War and Reform and Opening Up

The Chinese President Jiang Zemin delivered a speech at the South Korean National Assembly in 1995 gangtaegmin junggug guggajuseog gughoe jidoja myeondam mic yeonseol.jpg
The Chinese President Jiang Zemin delivered a speech at the South Korean National Assembly in 1995

Trade between the two countries continued to increase nonetheless, especially after the PRC's reform and opening up. Furthermore, China has attempted to mediate between North Korea and the US; between North Korea and Japan; and also initiated and promoted tripartite talks—between Pyongyang, Seoul, and Washington. [26]

South Korea had been an ally of the Republic of China. [27] :163 But in 1983 diplomatic ties between Seoul and Taipei were nevertheless severed. In August 1992, formal diplomatic relations were established between South Korea and the PRC. South Korea stated that the PRC was "the sole legal government of China". [27] :160

A peace treaty was also signed at the ceremony declaring an official end of hostilities between South Korea and China as a result of the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement. [28] On September 3, 1994, China withdrew from the Military Armistice Commission at Panmunjom, which left only North Korea and the United Nations Command as the only participants in the Korean Armistice Agreement. South Korea never signed the agreement. [29] By 2004 China had become South Korea's leading trading partner. [30]

After the KORUS FTA (United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement) was finalized on 30 June 2007, the Chinese government immediately began seeking an FTA agreement with South Korea. [31] The China-Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement was finalized on December 20, 2015. Tariffs on 958 products including medical equipment, transformers, etc. were eliminated. On 1 January 2016, tariffs were eliminated on 5,779 products for 2 years. Also, in 10 years it is estimated that the Chinese tariffs will gradually go down and be eliminated on 5,846 products. [32] South Korea has been running a trade surplus with China, which hit a record US$32.5 billion in 2009 and total trade between the two nations surpassed US$300 billion in 2014. [33] [30]

On 29 November 2010, a United States diplomatic cables leak mentioned two unknown Chinese officials telling then Vice-Foreign Minister Chun Yung-woo that the PRC would favor a Korea reunified under the South's government, as long as it was not hostile to China. [34]

Countries which signed cooperation documents related to the Belt and Road Initiative Belt and Road Initiative participant map.svg
Countries which signed cooperation documents related to the Belt and Road Initiative

It was announced on 10 January 2011 that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) established two teams of China experts and language specialists under its department handling Chinese affairs in an effort to strengthen diplomacy. [35] An analytical team will report on political, economic and foreign affairs developments in China, and a monitoring team consisting of seven language specialists will report on public sentiment in China. The Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS), a think-tank affiliated to MOFAT, also launched a centre dedicated to China affairs, which will act as a hub to collate research on China undertaken in Korea. [36]

The Park-Xi summit in 2013 showed promise of warming relations, but this quickly chilled after China extended their Air Defense Identification Zone (East China Sea) over South Korean territory. [37] Despite this, in July 2014, Xi visited South Korea before its traditional ally North Korea, and in their talks, both leaders affirmed their support for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula and the ongoing free trade agreement negotiations. [38] Both leaders also expressed their concerns over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe's reinterpretation of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.

On 23 March 2021, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to promote dialogue between the two countries, to reschedule a visit by Xi to South Korea that was postponed last year due to the pandemic, and to work out a blueprint for the development of bilateral ties over the next three decades. [39]

In May 2021, Moon issued a statement remarking that South Korea would work with the United States on stability in Taiwan, [40] which provoked a warning from China. [41]

On December 23, 2021, it was reported that senior South Korean diplomats, including Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun will hold talks online with Chinese diplomats. Zhao Lijian, a Chinese government spokesperson said that he hoped the meeting could "have a positive effect on enhancing communication and mutual trust and the promotion of bilateral relations". Just a week earlier, Taiwanese Digital Minister Audrey Tang revoked an invitation to speak at a press conference in Seoul. [42]

Tensions between South Korea and China

Illegal fishing from China

Since 2016, Chinese vessels with the proper authorisation have been allowed to fish in South Korean waters, but illegal fishing has become a recent point of contention. [43] During the four years leading up to 2016, roughly 2,200 Chinese vessels had been stopped and fined by South Korean authorities for fishing illegally. [44] In December 2010, the crew of a Chinese trawler clashed with a South Korean patrol ship, leaving one fisherman dead, two missing, and four coast guards injured. [45]

In September 2016, three Chinese fishermen suspected of illegal fishing died after their boat was boarded by officers from the South Korean coast guard, who threw flashbang grenades into the wheelhouse to drive the barricaded crew out but ended up also setting the fishing boat on fire. [43] [44]

In October 2016, South Korea lodged a formal complaint with Beijing accusing two Chinese fishing boats of ramming and sinking a South Korean coast guard speedboat. The incident occurred on 7 October when coast guard officers tried to stop about 40 Chinese boats suspected of illegal fishing. [46] On 1 November 2016, another clash took place west of Incheon where two Chinese fishing boats were seized. The South Korean coast guard fired warning shots on both occasions, but no casualties were reported. [47]

In June 2023, the two countries entered into an agreement whereby South Korea would notify China of suspected illegal fishing in North Korean waters. China has banned its fleet from fishing there following U.N. sanctions against North Korea. It would in turn inform South Korea of the results of follow-up investigations. The two countries also decided to expand joint patrols, which are currently limited to parts of the provisional measures zone where boats from both countries can fish. [48]

Deployment of THAAD in South Korea

Background

Chinese tourists to South Korea and year-on-year rate. From March 2017, tourists plummeted in retaliation for the installation of THAAD. Chinese tourist to South Korea.svg
Chinese tourists to South Korea and year-on-year rate. From March 2017, tourists plummeted in retaliation for the installation of THAAD.

In late 2016, the United States and South Korea jointly announced the deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), in response to nuclear and missile threats by North Korea. [49] The move drew opposition from China and Russia. [50] [51] The U.S. states that the deployment of the THAAD is “purely a defensive measure… only aimed at North Korea” and has no intention to threaten China's security interests. But China has continuously expressed its opposition over South Korea and U.S.’s decision because of its concern that the deployment of THAAD might be a measure by the U.S. to contain China. [52] [53]

Opposition from China

Stating that the THAAD will undermine China's own nuclear deterrent capability, China’s Ambassador Qiu Guohong warned that the deployment of THAAD could “destroy” the China–South Korea ties in an instant, whereas the spokesperson of the president of South Korea warned China that deploying the THAAD is a “matter we will decide upon according to our own security and national interests." [54]

For aims of a détente (a relaxation of tension), China and South Korea held a summit in Hangzhou, eastern China, on Sept. 5, 2016 with each party's leaders, CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping and Representative Park Geun-Hye to discuss the issue of THAAD. During the summit, Park reemphasized that the THAAD deployment is only to be aimed against North Korea and that there should be no reason for China's security interest to be concerned. However, Xi reiterated China's firm stance against the deployment of THAAD stating that it could “intensify disputes". Yet, the two countries still emphasized the long history of their relationship and agreed that a stable and healthy bilateral relationship will benefit both countries. [55]

Effect of THAAD on South Korea's economy

Unit sales and year-on-year rate in China. From March 2017, unit sales plummeted in retaliation for the installation of THAAD. Hyundai Motor Sales in China.svg
Unit sales and year-on-year rate in China. From March 2017, unit sales plummeted in retaliation for the installation of THAAD.

With South Korea's decision in 2017 to accept the deployment of THAAD in the country, although China's government shied away from formal sanctions and measures, it has urged its citizens through official media to express their displeasure and ill will at South Korea over the move. [56] Chinese citizens were allowed to gather to protest. The news media has reported of citizen boycotts of South Korean products like Hyundai cars, of South Korean goods being removed from supermarket shelves, and tourists and travel companies canceling trips to South Korea. [57]

South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group became a particular focus. Lotte had agreed to an exchange of land, a golf course in Seongju, with the South Korean government that will be used for the THAAD deployment. In addition to a consumer boycott of Lotte stores in China, municipal authorities suddenly discovered that Lotte stores and factories to be in contravention of fire safety regulations and other local ordinances which has resulted in the closure of 75 out of 99 Lotte supermarkets. [57] [58] [59]

March sales of Hyundai and its sister brand Kia Motors in China plunged 52 per cent from a year earlier to 72,000 vehicles, the lowest level since 2014. [57] Chinese tourism also dropped 39.4% (compared to March 2016) in March. [60] Opinion polls conducted in South Korea found less favorable perceptions of China. [61]

To relieve the economic strain the informal Chinese sanctions placed on South Korea, president Moon promised “three No-s,” saying that he would not participate in the US missile defense system, that he was not considering the additional deployment of THAAD, and that Japan-US-Korea security cooperation would not develop into a military alliance. [62]

Culture

Korean culture, singers, actors and dancers are popular with Chinese youth because of the development of the internet and export of Korean cultural content. [63] After the THAAD dispute took place, a "Korea limitation order" (Chinese :限韩令) was placed upon Hallyu. In China, Hallyu cultural events were canceled, Korean actors had to quit from their works and limited Korean media could be exported to China. The ban was lifted soon after, and relations cooled. [64]

BTS Korean War controversy

On 13 October 2020, RM, a member and also leader of South Korean boy group BTS, made a speech about the Korean War, where he told South Korea shared history of pains with the United States. This caused uproar in China, and Chinese-run media lashed out at BTS for what they perceived as bias and insensitivity to China's role on the other side of the conflict, and some Chinese netizens have called to boycott Korean popular culture. [65] [66] This has led to backlash among some Korean netizens who accused China of exaggerating the situation. [67]

Controversies over names and history

The Chinese historical claims surrounding Goguryeo created some tension between Korea and the PRC. [68] The PRC government has recently begun the Northeast Project, a controversial research project claiming Goguryeo to be a Chinese tributary state. This sparked a massive uproar in South Korea when the project was widely publicized in 2004. [69] The Chinese project was reportedly launched in response to irredentism pushed by some South Koreans over China's Northeast provinces and North Korea's UNESCO application for registering Koguryo Tomb murals as its first world heritage site. [70] [71] To counter the Northeast Project, South Korea's government launched the Koguryo Research Foundation [72] and in 2007 rewrote the Korean Bronze Age in history textbooks to have started in 2000 B.C. rather than 1000 B.C. [73]

Tensions from Goguryeo have also involved Baekdu Mountain, with claims made by South Korean activists and scholars that the mountain is Korean territory. [74] In 2009, irredentism reportedly expressed by many South Korean tourists to the Chinese side of the mountain had irked local hosts. [71] In 2014, celebrities Kim Soo-hyun and Gianna Jun received backlash after appearing in an ad for Chinese bottled water company Hengda bingquan because Hengda listed the source of its water as "Jang bai shan" (Changbai Mountain) instead of the Korean name. Both actors then sought to revoke their ad contracts [75] but Kim later decided to continue with the ad, disappointing many of his fans. [76]

In 2020, South Korean media outlet JTBC reported that a number of American college prep books described Korea as part of China during the Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties. [77] It also reported that Chinese website Baidu listed Korean activists An Jung-geun, Kim Ku, Yun Bong-gil, and Yun Dong-ju as Korean-Chinese and President Moon Jae-in as "Joseon" and "Korean" before removing "Joseon". The South Korean government said it was monitoring the situation. [77]

Other incidents

In 2022, South Korean authorities began investigating reports of Chinese police stations in the country following a report from Safeguard Defenders. Chinese officials denied having "so-called secret police stations" overseas. A restaurant owner accused of operating one also denied the reports. [78]

In June 2023, South Korean prosecutors charged a former Samsung Electronics executive and his six accomplices with stealing trade secrets from Samsung in order to establish a copycat chip factory in China. The former executive had worked for 18 years at Samsung and another decade at SK Hynix before raising funds for his own semiconductor companies in China and Singapore, luring over 200 experts from Samsung and Hynix in the process. [79] The same month, Seoul police arrested a Chinese researcher and charged him with smuggling thousands of files related to medical robot technology to China. He had worked in South Korea at a robotics lab for over 10 years and a hospital for five years, during which time he disguised the stolen technology as his own invention before applying for and receiving subsidies from China's Thousand Talents Plan. [80]

In November 2023, the National Intelligence Service reported that Chinese companies had established dozens of fake websites that mimicked legitimate Korean news outlets. They posted articles from other outlets without permission and spread pro-China and anti-US propaganda. [81] The NIS has asked social media companies to remove the propaganda stories. [82] [83]

In August 2024, South Korean authorities indicted a Korea Defence Intelligence Command employee on charges of selling military secrets to Chinese intelligence over a period of seven years. [84] [85]

Chinese entities have been accused of attempting to influence opinions in South Korea through online propaganda campaigns. [86] [87]

Public opinion

Results of the 2020 Pew Research Center poll
Views of China by country [88]
Sorted by Pos-Neg
Country polledPositiveNegativeNeutralPos-Neg
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
9%
86%
5%–77
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
14%
85%
1%–71
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
15%
81%
4%–66
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark
22%
75%
3%–53
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
22%
74%
4%–52
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
24%
75%
1%–51
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
22%
73%
5%–51
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
25%
73%
2%–50
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
23%
73%
4%–50
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
24%
71%
5%–47
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
25%
71%
4%–46
Flag of France.svg  France
26%
70%
4%–44
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
36%
63%
1%–27
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
38%
62%
0%–24

A 2013 BBC/GlobeScan poll found that 44% of Chinese had a positive view of South Korea's influence while 28% had a negative view. [89] A 2015 survey referenced in The Hankyoreh found that 66.1% of Chinese respondents had a favourable view of South Korea. [90] A 2021 survey conducted by scholars from Rice University, the University of British Columbia, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy had 43% of Chinese expressing an unfavourable view of South Korea, compared to 49% expressing a favourable view. [91] 2017 BBC poll stated a far more grim picture, with only 25% of Chinese having favourable view of South Korea while 71% expressed unfavourable views of South Korea.

A 2019 survey from the Asan Institute for Policy Studies found that 51.4% of South Korean respondents held an unfavourable view of China, compared to 62.9% unfavourability for Japan, 47.9% for North Korea, 15.3% for the U.S. [92] Another survey in 2019 from the Pew Research Center found that 63% of South Koreans had an unfavourable view of China. [93] A 2020 Gallup International poll had 84% of South Koreans viewing China's foreign policy as destabilizing to the world, which was the second highest percentage out of 44 countries surveyed. [94] [95]

Poor relations along with media reports and movies perpetuating a negative, criminal image of Chinese in South Korea has led to some online hate speech expressed in the top comments of major news portals. [96] [97] During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half a million South Korean citizens have signed a petition lobbying the government to ban Chinese from entering the country. [98] [99]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of South Korea</span>

South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with 191 countries. The country has also been a member of the United Nations since 1991, when it became a member state at the same time as North Korea. South Korea has also hosted major international events such as the 1988 Summer Olympics and 2002 World Cup Football Tournament and the 2011 IAAF World Championships Daegu South Korea. Furthermore, South Korea had hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics which took place in Pyeongchang from 9 to 25 February.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korean reunification</span> Potential unification of North and South Korea into a single Korean state

Korean reunification is the hypothetical unification of North Korea and South Korea into a singular Korean sovereign state. The process towards reunification of the peninsula while still maintaining two opposing regimes was started by the June 15th North–South Joint Declaration in June 2000, was reaffirmed by the October 4th Declaration in October 2007 and the Panmunjom Declaration in April 2018, and the joint statement of United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Singapore Summit in June 2018. In the Panmunjom Declaration, the two countries agreed to work to officially end the Korean conflict in the future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lotte Chilsung</span> South Korean beverage manufacturer

Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co., Ltd. is a drink manufacturer in South Korea affiliated with Lotte Corporation. The company's name, Chilsung, signifies "Big Dipper" or seven stars, and its logo displays seven stars aligned in a row.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terminal High Altitude Area Defense</span> US ballistic missile defense system

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is an American anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to intercept and destroy short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase. The THAAD interceptor carries no warhead, instead relying on its kinetic energy of impact to destroy the incoming missile. THAAD was developed after the experience of Iraq's Scud missile attacks during the Gulf War in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States foreign policy toward the People's Republic of China</span>

The United States foreign policy toward the People's Republic of China originated during the Cold War. At that time, the U.S. had a containment policy against communist states. The leaked Pentagon Papers indicated the efforts by the U.S. to contain China through military actions undertaken in the Vietnam War. The containment policy centered around an island chain strategy. President Richard Nixon's China rapprochement signaled a shift in focus to gain leverage in containing the Soviet Union. Formal diplomatic ties between the U.S. and China were established in 1979, and with normalized trade relations since 2000, the U.S. and China have been linked by closer economic ties and more cordial relations. In his first term as U.S. president, Barack Obama said, "We want China to succeed and prosper. It's good for the United States if China continues on the path of development that it's on".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Korea–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

Diplomatic relations between South Korea and the United States commenced in 1949. The United States helped establish the modern state of South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, and fought on its UN-sponsored side in the Korean War (1950–1953). During the subsequent decades, South Korea experienced tremendous economic, political and military growth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russia–South Korea relations</span> Bilateral relations

Russia–South Korea relations or Russian–South Korean relations are the bilateral foreign relations between Russia and South Korea. Modern relations between the two countries began on September 30, 1990. Due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, relations became very tense after South Korea imposed sanctions against Russia. Russia placed South Korea on a list of "unfriendly countries", along with Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, the United States, European Union members, NATO members, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Micronesia and Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China–Zimbabwe relations</span> Bilateral relations

China and Zimbabwe have had a close, but chequered, relationship since the latter's independence. China has an embassy in Harare. Zimbabwe has an embassy in Beijing and a consulate-general in Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Korea–Taiwan relations</span> Bilateral relations

South Korean–Taiwan relations

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China–North Korea relations</span> Bilateral relations

The bilateral relations between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have been generally friendly, although they have been somewhat strained in recent years because of North Korea's nuclear program. They have a close special relationship. China and North Korea have a mutual aid and co-operation treaty, signed in 1961, which is currently the only defense treaty China has with any nation. China's relationship with North Korea is its only formal alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada–South Korea relations</span> Bilateral relations

There are strong diplomatic relations between Canada and South Korea. Canadian soldiers participated in the defense of South Korea during the Korean War. Full diplomatic relations between Canada and South Korea were established on January 14, 1963. Canada has an embassy in Seoul, and a consulate in Busan. South Korea has an embassy in Ottawa and three Consulates-General, in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Both nations are full members of APEC, OECD and the G20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-Chinese sentiment in Korea</span>

Korea has had a long history of both resistance against and subordination to Imperial China. Until the onset of Western imperialism in the 19th century, Korea had been part of the sinocentric East Asian regional order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4</span> 2016 North Korean reconnaissance satellite

Kwangmyongsong-4 or KMS-4 is a reconnaissance satellite launched by North Korea on 7 February 2016.

In the year 2017, North Korea was involved in the 2017 North Korea crisis, along with other events. The country conducted a nuclear test in September, and several missile tests throughout the year. One of these was the country's first successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Hwasong-14. Two missiles were launched over Hokkaido in the Japanese archipelago, in August and in September 2017.

The foreign policy of Xi Jinping concerns the policies of the People's Republic of China's Xi Jinping with respect to other nations. Xi became the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012 and became the President of the People's Republic of China in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese irredentism</span> Irredentist claims to territories of the former Chinese Empire

Chinese irredentism involves irredentist claims to the territories of former Chinese dynasties made by the Republic of China (ROC) and subsequently the People's Republic of China (PRC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Korea–Uzbekistan relations</span> Diplomatic relations between South Korea and the Republic of Uzbekistan

South Korea-Uzbekistan relations are the international relations between South Korea and Uzbekistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Korea–Taiwan relations</span> Bilateral relations

North Korean–Taiwan relations

References

  1. http://www.korea.net/news.do?mode=detail&guid=47084%5B‍%5D
  2. 1 2 3 Jung, H. Pak (July 2020). "Trying to loosen the linchpin: China's approach to South Korea" (PDF). Global China. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-10-30 via Brookings.edu.
  3. Lee, Kenneth (January 1, 1997). Korea and East Asia: The Story of a Phoenix. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 108. ISBN   9780275958237. Archived from the original on July 22, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2015. "Thus the Korea–Japan War of 1592–1598 came to a conclusion, with the Japanese totally defeated and in full-scale retreat. The Korean victory did not come easily."
  4. Lee, Soyoung (October 2004). "Yangban: The Cultural Life of the Joseon Literati". Metropolitan Museum of Art. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  5. Lee, Ki-baik (1984). A New History of Korea. Translated by Wagner, Edward Willett; Schultz, Edward J. Harvard University Press.
  6. "South Korea (KOR) Exports, Imports and Trade Partners". Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  7. "It's Official: China, South Korea Sign Free Trade Agreement". The Diplomat. June 2, 2015. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  8. "RCEP: Asia-Pacific countries form world's largest trading bloc". BBC. November 16, 2020. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  9. "Can China, Japan and South Korea follow RCEP with their own free-trade deal?". South China Morning Post. November 28, 2020. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  10. "Why China's economic jabs at South Korea are self-defeating". South China Morning Post . 2017-04-02. Archived from the original on 2019-07-29. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  11. "South Korea, China say to mend ties after THAAD standoff". Channel NewsAsia.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. "China, South Korea agree to mend ties after THAAD standoff". Reuters. 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-12-29. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
  13. Ben Westcott and Lauren Suk. "China, South Korea end year-long diplomatic feud over missile system". CNN. Archived from the original on 2017-10-31. Retrieved 2017-10-31.
  14. AP, Hyung-Jin Kim /. "China, South Korea Ease Tensions Over U.S. Missile Defense". Time. Archived from the original on October 31, 2017.
  15. Jennings, Ralph. "South Korea Vying with China as New Benefactor for Philippines". Voice of America. Archived from the original on 2017-11-21. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
  16. Charlotte Gao. "South Korean Foreign Minister to Visit Beijing After China Envoy's North Korea Visit". The Diplomat . Archived from the original on 2017-11-20. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
  17. "South Korean foreign minister to visit China to arrange presidential trip- Nikkei Asian Review". Nikkei Asian Review . Archived from the original on 2017-11-21. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
  18. "Seoul to closely cooperate with China, Japan to tackle North Korea issue". United Press International . Archived from the original on 2018-03-16. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
  19. Ye, Min (2017). China-South Korea relations in the new era : challenges and opportunities. Lanham, Maryland. p. 5. ISBN   978-0-7391-9856-8. OCLC   979567522. Archived from the original on 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2022-04-29.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  20. Hwang, Jaeho (2014-08-14). "The ROK's China Policy under Park Geun-hye: A New Model of ROK-PRC Relations" (PDF). The Brookings Institution. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  21. "[Editorial] Moon's balanced diplomacy". The Korea Herald . 2017-11-06. Archived from the original on 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  22. Lee, Chung Min. "South Korea Is Caught Between China and the United States". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace . Archived from the original on 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  23. "The Avalon Project : CAIRO CONFERENCE 1943". Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  24. Kim, Kyoungwha (2009-01-09), "South Koreans Quit China as Yuan's Gain Raises Cost of Living", Bloomberg L.P. , retrieved 2009-05-04
  25. "More Than 1 Million Foreigners Live in Korea", Chosun Ilbo, 2009-08-06, archived from the original on 2009-09-09, retrieved 2009-10-18
  26. Zhao, Quansheng (2003), "China and the Korean Peace Process", The Korean Peace Process and the Four Powers, Routledge, pp. 98–118, doi:10.4324/9781315197371-6, ISBN   978-1-315-19737-1, S2CID   159053639, archived from the original on 2022-04-29, retrieved 2022-04-29
  27. 1 2 Liff, Adam P.; Lee, Chaewon (2024). "Korea-Taiwan "Unofficial" Relations after 30 Years (1992-2022): Reassessing Seoul's "One China" Policy". In Zhao, Suisheng (ed.). The Taiwan Question in Xi Jinping's Era: Beijing's Evolving Taiwan Policy and Taiwan's Internal and External Dynamics. London and New York: Routledge. ISBN   9781032861661.
  28. Kristof, Nicholas D. (1992-08-24). "Chinese and South Koreans Formally Establish Relations". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-06-19. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  29. Sterngold, James (1994-09-03). "China, Backing North Korea, Quits Armistice Commission". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  30. 1 2 Zhu, Zhiqun (October 2016). "Comrades in Broken Arms: Shifting Chinese Policies Toward North Korea: Comrades in Broken Arms". Asian Politics & Policy. 8 (4): 575–592. doi:10.1111/aspp.12287.
  31. "ROK’s Yonhap: Exports have been Remarkable, but can S. Korea Sustain Momentum?" Yonhap, October 21, 2004, FBIS, KPP20041021000040.
  32. "China-Korea FTA". China FTA Network. Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China. Archived from the original on 2022-04-28. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  33. "S Korea posts record-high trade surplus in 2009". China Economic Net. 2010-01-14. Archived from the original on 2012-02-22. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  34. Tisdall, Simon (2010-11-29). "Wikileaks cables reveal China 'ready to abandon North Korea'". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  35. Moore, Thomas G. (2004), "China's International Relations: The Economic Dimension", The International Relations of Northeast Asia, Lanham, Md.: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc., p. 101, ISBN   9781461644521, archived from the original on 2024-08-29, retrieved 2022-05-17
  36. Schmidt, Dieter (2011-01-12). "Korea strengthens China analyst team". Junotane. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13.
  37. Miller, J. Berkshire (30 November 2013). "Is the China-South Korea Honeymoon Over?". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 1 December 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  38. Perlez, Jane (2014-07-03). "China and South Korea Affirm Antinuclear Goals". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2018-02-24. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
  39. "Xi charms Moon as China and US compete for an ally in South Korea". South China Morning Post. 2021-01-26. Archived from the original on 2021-03-21. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  40. Fang, Alex (22 May 2021). "Biden and Moon align on North Korea but walk fine line on China". Nikkei Asia . Archived from the original on 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  41. Mai, Jung (2021-05-24). "Don't 'play with fire', China tells US, South Korea over Taiwan concerns". South China Morning Post . Archived from the original on 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  42. Shin, Hyonhee (2021-12-23). "S.Korea holds talks with China amid spat with Taiwan". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  43. 1 2 "Chinese fishermen killed in S Korea coastguard clash". BBC News . 2016-09-30. Archived from the original on 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
  44. 1 2 "Seoul probes deaths of 3 Chinese fishermen". The Straits Times, Agence France-Presse, Reuters . 2016-10-01. Archived from the original on 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
  45. "China fisherman dies in clash with S Korea coast guard". BBC News . 2010-12-18. Archived from the original on 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
  46. "Seoul protests to Beijing over sinking of coast guard vessel - The Washington Post". The Washington Post . October 10, 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016.
  47. "South Korea fired on Chinese boats illegally in its waters". Business Insider . November 1, 2016. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  48. Yonhap (2023-06-14). "S. Korea, China to toughen crackdown on illegal fishing in East Sea". The Korea Herald . Archived from the original on 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  49. Sherman, Paul; Haenle, Anne (2016-09-12). "The Real Answer to China's THAAD Dilemma". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 2022-04-23. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  50. "THAAD missile defense system". Thomson Reuters . May 2, 2017. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  51. Panda, Ankit (June 4, 2017). "Why China and Russia Continue to Oppose THAAD". The Diplomat . Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  52. Rice, Susan (2016-07-26). "Why I'm Here: The Importance of the U.S. — China Relationship". The White House (President Barack Obama) Archives. Archived from the original on 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  53. "'No Nukes, No THAAD': South Korean town calls for missile defense..." Reuters. 2018-07-06. Archived from the original on 2019-05-28. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  54. Tiezzi, Shannon (2016-02-25). "China Warns THAAD Deployment Could Destroy South Korea Ties 'in an Instant'". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  55. Song, Sang-ho (2016-09-05). "(6th LD) Park, Xi reconfirm differences over THAAD, agree to strengthen communication". Yonhap News Agency . Archived from the original on 2022-04-29. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  56. McDonell, Stephen (13 March 2017). "China fuels anger over Seoul's missile move". BBC News . Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  57. 1 2 3 "South Korea's Hyundai, Kia sales halve in China amid diplomatic spat over THAAD". South China Morning Post . 5 April 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-04-05.
  58. Mullen, Jethro; Han, Sol (7 March 2017). "One company is bearing the brunt of China's anger over U.S. missile system". CNN Money . Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  59. Hernandez, Javier; Guo, Owen; McMorrow, Ryan (9 March 2017). "South Korean Stores Feel China's Wrath as U.S. Missile System Is Deployed". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  60. "3월 중국인 관광객 39% 줄어… '사드 보복' 영향" [Chinese tourists decrease by 39% in March ... Impact of 'THAAD Revenge']. Yonhap News . April 5, 2017. Archived from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  61. "Changing Tides: THAAD and Shifting Korean Public Opinion toward the United States and China". The Asan Institute for Policy Studies. March 20, 2017. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  62. Stangarone, Troy (October 30, 2019). "Did South Korea's Three Noes Matter? Not So Much". The Diplomat . Archived from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  63. Sun, Meicheng; Liew, Kai Khiun (2019-12-01). Written at Singapore. "Analog Hallyu: Historicizing K-pop formations in China". Global Media and China. 4 (4). Nanyang Technological University: 419–436. doi: 10.1177/2059436419881915 . ISSN   2059-4364. S2CID   214314200.
  64. Frater, Patrick (2021-03-03). "China Poised to Give Korean Content a Boost After Three Year Boycott". Variety . Archived from the original on 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  65. IM EUN-BYEL. "Chinese fans upset by BTS' Korean War remark: Report". Jakarta Post, The Korea Herald, Asia News Network . Archived from the original on 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  66. "'Nation before idols': Chinese netizens boycott BTS for hurting their feelings over Korean War comment". Mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  67. "China Backs off from Fight with K-Pop Fans". Foreign Policy . 20 October 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-10-25. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  68. Peter Hays Gries (2005). "The Koguryo Controversy, National Identity, and Sino-Korean Relations Today" (PDF). University of Oklahoma . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-04-30.
  69. "호감→비호감, 서로를 보는 눈이 변했다" [Like → dislike, the way we look at each other has changed]. Naver News (in Korean). 2009-02-11. Archived from the original on 2015-09-04. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  70. Gilbert Rozman (2010-10-21). U.S. Leadership, History, and Bilateral Relations in Northeast Asia. Cambridge University Press. p. 178. ISBN   978-1-139-49203-4. Archived from the original on 2022-03-08. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
  71. 1 2 Jae Ho Chung (2009-06-22). South Korea's Evolving Relations with a Rising China: Symbiosis or Mere Cohabitation?. USA, Singapore: Springer Science+Business Media. p. 218. ISBN   978-0-230-62262-3. Archived from the original on 2022-03-08. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
  72. Yonson Ahn (February 9, 2006). "The Korea-China Textbook War--What's It All About?". History News Network . University of Leipzig. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021.
  73. "Ancient Kingdom of Gojoseon Turned from Myth into History". Dong-A Ilbo . February 24, 2007. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022.
  74. Ivan Lidarev (February 28, 2016). "Will Mount Paektu Erupt Again?". The Diplomat . Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  75. "Kim, Jun seek to revoke contracts for Chinese ad". The Straits Times, The Korea Herald . 2014-06-23. Archived from the original on 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
  76. Ha Ji-won (2014-07-02). "Kim Soo-hyun's controversial Chinese ad revealed". The Korea Herald . Archived from the original on 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
  77. 1 2 "[단독] "한반도는 대대로 중국 땅"?…미 교재 '엉터리 세계사'" [[Exclusive] “The Korean Peninsula has been Chinese territory for generations”?… U.S. textbook 'fakes world history']. 14 October 2020. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  78. Chan-kyong, Park (June 20, 2023). "South Korea investigates secret Chinese 'police stations' after claims of 2 more being uncovered on Jeju Island". South China Morning Post . Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  79. "Ex-Samsung exec charged with stealing trade secrets to create copycat chip factory in China". Associated Press . 2023-06-12. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  80. "한국 6000억 의료로봇 기술, 1만여건 중국 빼돌린 中연구원". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 2023-06-07. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  81. "Chinese firms running fake S Korean news sites". Radio Free Asia . 1 December 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-12-02. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  82. Arin, Kim (2023-11-13). "China-made phony news sites spreading pro-Beijing propaganda in South Korea: NIS". The Korea Herald . Archived from the original on 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  83. "Phony news sites spreading pro-Beijing propaganda in S. Korea, says country's spy service". The Straits Times. 2023-11-14. ISSN   0585-3923. Archived from the original on 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  84. "S. Korean defense intel official sold secrets to China for 7 years". The Chosun Daily . 2024-08-28. Archived from the original on 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  85. Sang-Hun, Choe (2024-08-30). "South Korea Says an Official Leaked a Classified Spy Roster to China". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2024-08-31. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  86. "Research accuses suspected China accounts of manipulating online opinion on Korean industries". koreatimes. 2024-09-29. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  87. Kang, Tae-jun. "Suspicions Grow in South Korea Over China's Online Influence Operations". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  88. "Unfavorable Views of China Reach Historic Highs in Many Countries". Pew Research Center. 2020-10-06. Archived from the original on 2021-06-15.
  89. "Views of China and India Slide While UK's Ratings Climb". GlobeScan. May 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-11-02.
  90. "중국인 '일본 싫고 한국 좋아' 일본인 '중국 한국 다 싫어'". The Hankyoreh (in Korean). 2015-11-08. Archived from the original on 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
  91. Adam Y. Liu, Xiaojun Li, Songying Fang (March 13, 2021). "What Do Chinese People Think of Developed Countries? 2021 Edition". The Diplomat . Archived from the original on 2021-03-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  92. "South Korean Caution and Concern About China". Asan Institute for Policy Studies. October 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
  93. "People around the globe are divided in their opinions of China". Pew Research Center. 30 September 2019. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  94. "VOICE OF THE PEOPLE Annual Global End of Year Surveys (page 124)" (PDF). Gallup International Association . December 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-03-03. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
  95. George Metakides (November 23, 2021). Perspectives on Digital Humanism. Springer Nature. p. 221. ISBN   9783030861445. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  96. "Hate Speech against Immigrants in Korea: A Text Mining Analysis of Comments on News about Foreign Migrant Workers and Korean Chinese Residents* (page 281)" (PDF). Seoul National University . Ritsumeikan University. January 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-12-05.
  97. "'반중 넘어 혐중'‥ 중국인 혐오, 도 넘은 수준까지?". The Financial News (in Korean). June 13, 2019. Archived from the original on June 14, 2019.
  98. Shin, Hyonhee; Cha, Sangmi (28 January 2020). "South Koreans call in petition for Chinese to be barred over virus". Reuters . Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  99. Kasulis, Kelly. "Coronavirus brings out anti-Chinese sentiment in South Korea". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2023-11-15.