This routine visit of the South Korean foreign minister to China may seem uneventful on the surface, but it actually carries many profound implications.
Beneath the surface, this visit reflects a series of challenges that South Korea currently faces, involving diplomacy, economy, and even domestic political situations. Each aspect contains deep-seated reasons.
Firstly, let's revisit the events of 2017.
At that time, the South Korean government decided to deploy the THAAD missile defense system, a move that triggered strong opposition from China.
Since then, Sino-South Korean relations have been tense. It wasn't until May 2023, over six and a half years later, that South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Dae-ryeol finally embarked on a trip to China.
This visit was originally hoped to improve Sino-South Korean relations, but the outcome was not as expected.
The South Korean foreign minister stated in advance that he would negotiate with China on issues such as the North Korean nuclear issue, North Korea-Russia relations, and the Taiwan issue. However, these issues actually go beyond South Korea's sphere of influence.
The North Korean nuclear issue is at the core of peninsula affairs, but South Korea's voice in it can be almost ignored.
North Korea-Russia relations and the Taiwan issue are completely beyond South Korea's control.
This attitude exposes South Korea's arrogance and shortsightedness.
They seem overly confident, thinking that China cannot do without South Korea's cooperation.
However, against the backdrop of the continuous changes in the global economic landscape, South Korea's traditional pillar industries have also encountered difficulties.
For example, the shipbuilding industry was once dominated by South Korea and Japan, but now China has taken a leading position.
In emerging industries such as electric vehicles, South Korea has also lost its competitive advantage in the U.S. market due to its alignment with U.S. policies.
This visit is filled with anxiety and urgency from the South Korean side.
Since the Moon Jae-in administration took office, South Korea has frequently encountered setbacks in diplomacy and the economy, leading to serious questioning of its governance.
However, South Korea failed to seize the opportunity in this visit and appeared arrogant and passive instead.
China has provided many opportunities for cooperation, but South Korea has not utilized them well.
In future political maneuvers, South Korea may find it difficult to stand independently between the United States and China, and may only be caught in the "squeeze."
This will undoubtedly further reduce South Korea's position and discourse power in the regional landscape.
For South Korea, how to deal with this situation is a challenging issue and will play an important role in its future development.
Only through a more open and pragmatic diplomatic policy, coupled with adjustments and innovations in the domestic economic structure, can South Korea maintain its competitive advantage on the future international stage.
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