Seoul: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Wednesday urged China to facilitate North Korea’s return to dialogue, emphasizing South Korea’s commitment to progress on denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho’s appeal was made during his inaugural one-on-one discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. South Korea aims to mend inter-Korean relations and rekindle dialogue with Pyongyang. This initiative persists despite North Korea’s consistent dismissal of Seoul’s outreach efforts, which coincide with its growing closeness to Russia.

During the talks, Cho requested China’s assistance in persuading North Korea to engage in dialogue, highlighting South Korea’s pursuit of meaningful progress toward denuclearization and regional peace through cooperation. In response, Wang Yi assured that China would maintain a “constructive role” in fostering peace and stability in the region, agreeing to uphold close communication.

The discussions occur as South Korea navigates its relationships with Beijing amid intensifying U.S.-China tensions while preserving strong alliances with the United States and maintaining a trilateral partnership with Washington and Tokyo. Following a recent summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung acknowledged that the U.S.’s strategy to counter China limits Seoul’s ability to sustain previous economic connections with Beijing, nudging South Korea toward closer alignment with U.S. policies. However, Beijing has asserted that bilateral relations should remain uninfluenced by external parties.

Furthermore, Cho proposed collaboration with China to ensure the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit serves as a platform to advance bilateral relations, yielding “tangible benefits” for both nations. While Beijing has not confirmed yet, Chinese President Xi Jinping is anticipated to attend the APEC summit scheduled for October 31-November 1. As the host for next year’s APEC, China plays a significant role, and Seoul believes Xi’s attendance could strengthen bilateral ties and facilitate discussions on mutual interests, including North Korea.

In the meeting, Cho emphasized South Korea’s intention to advance its strategic cooperative partnership with China based on national interest and pragmatism, even as it fortifies its alliance with the U.S. Wang acknowledged that the ties with Seoul are rooted in the “spirit of firmly staying on the course of good neighborliness and friendly ties,” aiming for mutual benefits and cooperation.

Cho also addressed mutual concerns, such as China’s installation of steel structures in disputed areas of the Yellow Sea, seeking China’s cooperation to ensure safety and protection of South Korean rights. Both ministers agreed to continue leveraging the trilateral cooperation mechanism involving Japan for regional collaboration.

Wang conveyed his condolences for the passing of South Korean Coast Guard officer Lee Jae-suk, who died while rescuing a Chinese national stranded on a mudflat off South Korea’s west coast.