Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first visit to South Korea in 11 years was met with both high-level diplomacy and public dissent. While President Lee Jae Myung hosted Xi for a state summit to discuss North Korea and economic cooperation, hundreds of protesters marched in Seoul chanting “China Out.”
Inside the summit, economic friction was a key topic. Lee reportedly had a “productive” discussion with Xi about Chinese sanctions on five U.S.-linked units of shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean. He also raised the long-standing shadow ban on South Korean entertainment, a relic of the 2017 THAAD missile defense system dispute.
Despite these tensions, the two leaders oversaw the signing of seven agreements. These included a won-yuan currency swap deal and memorandums of understanding on tackling online crime and innovating for aging populations, highlighting the deep economic interdependence between the two nations.
The anti-China rally in Seoul’s Hongdae district underscored public anxiety about Beijing’s influence. This comes after President Lee ordered a crackdown on such protests in October, citing harm to the country’s image. Protesters on Saturday said they were there to “protect liberal democracy.”
The primary diplomatic goal for Lee was securing Xi’s help in resuming dialogue with North Korea. Lee pushed for a phased denuclearisation plan, but the effort was immediately undermined by Pyongyang, which dismissed the agenda as a “pipe dream” and reiterated it will never talk to Seoul.