President Lee Jae Myung's office on Tuesday downplayed Foreign Minister Cho Hyun's remarks about China in a recent media interview.
In a note to reporters, the presidential office said Cho's remarks were meant to deliver his intention to "continue to foster a relationship between South Korea and China to contribute to people's economic well-being, regional stability and prosperity, despite some differences over some issues between the two countries."
The presidential office also noted that it would seek to develop the relationship between South Korea and China, on the foundation of the strong alliance between South Korea and the United States.
This follows a comment by Cho in his interview with The Washington Post on Sunday. Cho said, "In Northeast Asia, we have another problem of China becoming somewhat problematic with its neighbors. We have seen what China has been doing in the South China Sea and in the Yellow Sea."
He was responding to a question about how to navigate geopolitical challenges in South Korea's neighborhood.
Cho also said, "We have become rather alert to China’s rise and its challenges," adding the country hoped to see China "abide by international law in not only bilateral, but in regional affairs," when asked about Seoul's approach to Beijing.
Cho's remarks prompted a response from the Chinese Embassy to South Korea, which said that China has a"good" relationship with all of its neighbors, and that most countries were prioritizing friendly cooperation with China.
Meanwhile, South Korea's presidential office also noted that Cho had raised "a need for relevant countries to engage with China."
This apparently echoed Cho's remarks during his meeting with his counterparts in Japan and the United States that he "noted the need for engaging China, because simply trying to block China will not be as effective as we want."
consnow@heraldcorp.com
