Overview
- The exchange occurred in Gyeongju on the sidelines of the APEC summit during Xi Jinping’s first visit to South Korea in more than a decade.
- After Lee Jae Myung asked if the devices were secure, Xi replied that he could check for a backdoor, a remark captured on camera that drew laughter from both delegations.
- Xi presented two Xiaomi smartphones, with aides noting the handsets used Korean-made displays.
- Lee’s spokesman said the joking reflected growing personal chemistry between the leaders following multiple meetings and cultural events.
- Analysts and reports viewed the choice of Xiaomi phones as soft-power signaling that boosts the brand’s credentials, while the episode produced no policy changes or technical findings.