Woo Won-shik, speaker of South Korea’s National Assembly, offered reassurances about South Korea’s political stability during a meeting with a high-ranking Chinese official Thursday, while also expressing hopes for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Korea this year.
The speaker met with Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. During the talks, Woo emphasized that South Korea remains stable, addressing concerns about the country’s political turmoil following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration on Dec. 3.
“I understand that some foreign observers may be worried about instability in South Korea,” Woo said. “However, we have set a new democratic precedent by blocking the abrupt decree through legitimate action by the National Assembly, and everything is proceeding in a lawful and orderly manner,” he said.
Woo also encouraged Xi to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju in November, calling it a significant international event for South Korea. “This will be the first major international summit for South Korea after overcoming recent challenges, and we are making every effort to ensure its success,” he said.
In response, Zhao shared a similar sentiment, stressing the importance of strong bilateral ties between South Korea and China.
“As neighboring countries, China and South Korea should maintain close exchanges like family members. This will contribute to mutual understanding, trust and cooperation,” he said.
Zhao also called for greater efforts to uphold the diplomatic spirit between the two nations, reinforcing communication and removing obstacles to strengthen their strategic partnership.
Woo kicked off his five-day trip on Wednesday. According to the Office of the National Assembly Speaker, his agenda through Sunday includes discussions with multiple Chinese officials on economic cooperation and visits to historical sites related to the Korean independence movement in China.
On Thursday, Woo is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games, where he is expected to meet with regional leaders and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. It remains uncertain whether he will meet with Xi during the trip.
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