Ambassador to China Ro Jae-hun takes an oath at the parliamentary audit of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee held at the South Korean Embassy in Beijing, China, on the 20th. /News1

Ambassador Ro Jae-hun of South Korea to China stated, “We are striving to encourage a constructive role from China to halt North Korea’s provocations and bring it to the table for dialogue and negotiations.” During a parliamentary audit held at the South Korean Embassy in Beijing on the morning of the 20th, Ambassador Ro said, “We are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula and Sino-North Korean relations while strengthening communication with the Chinese side.” He added, “We are actively explaining our government’s policy of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and its stance on denuclearization to the Chinese side.”

Regarding the completion of the New Yalu River Bridge, which connects Sinuiju, North Korea, and Dandong, China, and opened after 12 years on October 15, Ambassador Ro stated that they are monitoring whether the expansion of North Korea-China exchanges could lead to loopholes in UN sanctions against North Korea. In response to a question from Rep. Kim Dae-sik of the People Power Party about the implementation of sanctions amid growing North Korea-China trade and the embassy’s response, Ambassador Ro said, “We have continuously monitored developments related to the New Yalu River Bridge” and “We are vigilantly watching to ensure there are no gaps in sanctions against North Korea.” However, he explained, “The Chinese side continues to state that, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it is faithfully implementing sanctions against North Korea.”

On sensitive issues between South Korea and China, Ambassador Ro said, “While maintaining a firm stance on historical and cultural issues, illegal fishing by Chinese vessels in the West Sea, and the Taiwan issue, we are strengthening communication with the Chinese side to prevent these from becoming obstacles to bilateral relations.” Regarding supply chain instability due to U.S.-China strategic competition, he stated that they are preemptively checking China’s export control trends and cooperating to ensure a stable supply of key raw materials and minerals. Ambassador Ro added, “We are promptly identifying and analyzing the Chinese government’s economic and social policies and trade regulations to support the effective implementation of our government’s economic policies toward China and corporate support activities.”

Ambassador Ro evaluated that South Korea-China relations have been fully restored following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to South Korea in November last year and President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to China in January this year. He noted, “President Lee’s visit to China occurred just two months after President Xi’s visit to South Korea, an unprecedentedly short interval, and it holds significance as the first state diplomatic schedule accepted by China this year.” He also mentioned high-level exchanges, including former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok’s visit to China in June and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to South Korea in August. In particular, the prime minister-level talks held during former Prime Minister Kim’s participation in the Summer Davos Forum served as a stepping stone for high-level exchanges leading up to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Shenzhen in November. Ambassador Ro also noted that parliamentary exchanges have expanded, with South Korean ruling and opposition party delegations visiting China 15 times this year.

Regarding the expansion of cultural and people-to-people exchanges agreed upon in the South Korea-China summit, Ambassador Ro said, “Positive signals are emerging, such as the Korea-China co-produced opera ‘Rigoletto’ being performed in Daegu in April and Beijing in September this year, and Hallyu, the Korean Wave, star G-Dragon appearing on large outdoor billboards in major Chinese cities.” According to Ambassador Ro, from January to August this year, 5.02 million Chinese tourists visited South Korea, a 27.4% increase compared to the same period last year, and visa applications received at eight Korean visa centers in China increased by 43% to over 1.24 million during the same period. Ambassador Ro stated that cooperation continues for the preservation and management of South Korean independence movement sites in China and the excavation of the remains of independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun. He also mentioned plans to promote various commemorative projects next year to mark the 35th anniversary of South Korea-China diplomatic relations.

Ambassador Ro emphasized the need to expand the embassy’s budget and personnel as diplomatic activities have increased with the restoration of South Korea-China relations. The embassy’s event budget this year decreased by approximately 56% compared to 2022, when the COVID-19 pandemic was widespread. Ambassador Ro requested the National Assembly to normalize the budget necessary for in-person diplomatic activities and support commemorative projects for the 35th anniversary of South Korea-China diplomatic relations next year. He also proposed increasing personnel responsible for visa services and simplifying administrative procedures to respond to the growing number of Chinese visitors to South Korea and visa applications.