South Korea Reaffirms 'One China' Stance, Easing Tensions with Beijing

South Korea's Foreign Ministry has reaffirmed its adherence to the 'One China' principle, a stance that has elicited a swift and positive reaction from Beijing. This diplomatic maneuver is seen as a potential breakthrough in mending the increasingly frosty relations between Seoul and Beijing, which have cooled significantly despite two summit meetings since the current administration took office.

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We positively evaluate that the director-general of the South Korean Foreign Ministry recently reaffirmed the remarks on Taiwan in the joint statement on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea to the media in a complete and public manner.

Lin Jian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement acknowledging and "positively evaluating" South Korea's public reiteration of its commitment to the 1992 joint statement on diplomatic relations, particularly its mention of Taiwan. "We hope and believe that South Korea will firmly adhere to its original aspirations, honor its political commitments, and practically implement the 'One China' principle to safeguard the political foundation of China-South Korea relations," Lin stated.

The reaffirmation came after Nam Jin-hyuk, Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs at South Korea's Foreign Ministry, explained the outcomes of a director-general level consultation in Seoul. During the talks, China's Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs, Liu Jinsong, raised the issue of Taiwan. South Korea reiterated its 1992 stance: "The Government of the Republic of Korea recognizes the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, and respects China's position that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of China." The ministry added that this position has remained unchanged across successive administrations.

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We hope and believe that South Korea will firmly adhere to its original aspirations, honor its political commitments, and practically implement the 'One China' principle to safeguard the political foundation of China-South Korea relations.

This move by Seoul appears to be a response to China's recent dissatisfaction, particularly after South Korea removed the 'Taiwan' designation from its electronic arrival cards. China had demanded clarification on Seoul's stance regarding Taiwan. By reaffirming its existing policy, South Korea seems to be attempting to regain momentum in bilateral relations. Despite agreements for full normalization of ties during summits in November and January, China has recently been delaying progress, reportedly due to accumulated grievances over South Korea's electronic arrival card policy, its strengthening ties with Japan amid Sino-Japanese disputes, and the enhanced cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

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The Government of the Republic of Korea recognizes the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, and respects China's position that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of China.

However, fundamental issues remain, including China's perceived tacit approval of North Korea's nuclear program and its strong opposition to deepening U.S.-South Korea-Japan security cooperation. While Liu Jinsong's visit to Seoul after a seven-month hiatus could signal a thaw, China's response focused solely on Taiwan, omitting discussions on the Korean Peninsula, despite Seoul conveying its concerns about the spread of 'tacit approval' of North Korea's nuclear weapons. The timing of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's potential visit to Seoul, agreed upon during the January summit, will be a key indicator of future relations.

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This position has remained unchanged across successive administrations.