PM Kim Min-seok cultivates ties with US, China leaders; plans 'party diplomacy' post-premiership

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has actively engaged in high-level diplomacy, meeting with key figures in both the United States and China. During his recent visits, Kim held discussions with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and former President Donald Trump, and also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

“

I think I should play a role in party diplomacy after finishing my duties as prime minister for both the United States and China.

Kim described his diplomatic activities as fulfilling a crucial role in confirming and advancing agreements reached at summit levels. He positioned himself as a facilitator, bridging communication between leaders and preparing the groundwork for future presidential meetings. This approach marks a shift from the traditional view of the prime minister focusing solely on domestic affairs.

His diplomatic engagements have yielded notable results, including establishing a hotline with the U.S. by exchanging phone numbers with Vice President Vance. In China, he successfully held the first prime ministerial talks in seven years, expanding cooperation across various sectors. Kim also shared a selfie with Premier Li Qiang, an act reminiscent of President Lee Jae-myung's photo with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“

It was a great reward for me to be able to engage in major diplomacy with both the US and China.

Kim expressed significant satisfaction with his ability to build personal rapport with top U.S. and Chinese officials, viewing these interactions as personally fortunate and beneficial for bilateral relations. He highlighted the rare opportunity to meet with both the U.S. Vice President and former President, and to engage in substantive discussions on inter-Korean relations. He also noted the positive reception from Chinese officials, partly attributed to his connection with Tsinghua University.

“

I thought that since I was meeting the prime minister, I should follow what the president did with President Xi Jinping.

Looking ahead, Kim plans to leverage his diplomatic experience and connections through party-level diplomacy after concluding his term as prime minister. He indicated that discussions with Chinese officials included proposals for party-to-party exchanges, and he intends to pursue these avenues, seeing it as a way to support both the government and his political party.

“

Premier Li was approachable and friendly.