South Korea’s precarious balancing act is showing signs of buckling under immense pressure. President Lee Jae Myung’s administration is facing a simultaneous onslaught of domestic protests, a defiant North Korea, and the competing interests of the U.S. and China, all of which converged during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit.
The visit was meant to stabilize relations, but it immediately highlighted deep-seated tensions. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Seoul to rally against Chinese influence, challenging President Lee’s diplomatic engagement with Beijing. This public anger is a growing problem for Lee, who has been accused of trying to stifle criticism of China.
Lee’s attempts to use the summit to make diplomatic headway were disastrous. His primary “ask” of President Xi was for help in restarting talks with North Korea. This initiative was dead on arrival. Pyongyang issued a swift and scornful rejection, labeling the idea a “pipe dream” and humiliating Lee on the world stage.
This diplomatic failure was compounded by the U.S.-China rivalry. Lee’s meeting with Xi followed a visit from U.S. President Trump, forcing Lee to address contentious issues head-on. He raised the 2017 THAAD missile system dispute, a U.S. defense measure that China abhors. He also brought up Chinese sanctions on a U.S.-linked firm, wading into the economic conflict between his nation’s two most important partners.
While the political and security fronts were fraught, Chinese state media focused on the only area of clear agreement: economics. They celebrated the signing of seven new economic agreements, including a currency swap. Xi’s call for “mutual respect” was a message to Seoul to keep its geopolitical problems from derailing their lucrative trade relationship.