 |
| ▲ South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) poses for a photo with Chinese Premier Li Qiang prior to their talks at the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta on Sept. 7, 2023, on the sidelines of a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) Yoon-Chinese premier
(LEAD) Yoon says N.K. issue should not be 'obstacle' in S. Korea-China ties
(ATTN: UPDATES with details of meeting; CHANGES headline, photo)
By Lee Haye-ah
JAKARTA, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday he hopes the North Korean nuclear issue will not be an "obstacle" in relations between South Korea and China, as he asked Beijing to play a responsible role, according to his office.
Yoon made the remark during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, saying that the worse the North Korean nuclear problem becomes, the stronger trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan will have to be, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo said.
"He requested that he would like the North Korea issue to not be an obstacle in South Korea-China relations as China faithfully plays a responsible role regarding this issue in the future," Kim told reporters.
Yoon also asked for China's cooperation in making a trilateral South Korea-Japan-China summit possible at an early date, and the Chinese side answered they will actively respond, Kim said.
As the current chair of the trilateral summit, South Korea has been pushing to host the next meeting before the end of the year. The summit has not been held since 2019 due to historical disputes between Seoul and Tokyo, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Yoon-Li meeting came as both leaders were in Jakarta to attend annual summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
