Overview

• South Korea’s foreign ministry said Cho Hyun will make a two-day visit starting Wednesday for his first one-on-one talks with Wang Yi since the Lee government took office.
• The talks will cover a possible Xi trip to South Korea for the APEC leaders’ meeting in Gyeongju and efforts to advance the Korea–China strategic cooperative partnership.
• Cho is expected to press for China’s constructive role in restarting dialogue on denuclearization after Beijing’s readout of Xi’s meeting with Kim Jong-un omitted any reference to denuclearization.
• Bilateral issues are also on the agenda, including South Korea’s concerns over Chinese steel structures in the overlapping maritime zone of the Yellow Sea.
• The visit comes as President Trump plans to attend APEC and pursues regional engagement, sharpening Seoul’s need to coordinate with both Washington and Beijing.