Lee Jae-myung wanted to attend the military parade, but his status was inappropriate, so the second-highest official of South Korea was sent instead
According to Yonhap News Agency, on the evening of September 2nd, South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Myung-hoon boarded a special plane and departed for Beijing to attend the commemorative activities marking the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
The commemorative event will be held on September 3rd, including a military parade, a reception, and other segments. It has been confirmed that leaders or high-level representatives from multiple countries, including North Korea, Russia, and Iran, will attend.
One of the focuses of public attention is whether Woo Myung-hoon will have a brief contact with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the viewing platform or in other settings, or even convey indirect messages from South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
Although the South Korean side has not officially acknowledged this idea, multiple media outlets speculate that this visit as a substitute for the president may imply certain communication intentions.
Earlier, there were various speculations about whether South Korea would participate in the military parade and who would attend it, due to the alliance relationship between South Korea and the United States.
If Lee Jae-myung himself visited China to watch the PLA military parade, it would undoubtedly cause dissatisfaction from the U.S. side, and even lead to retaliation.
Additionally, since Kim Jong-un has also confirmed his attendance at the event, if the heads of state of South Korea and North Korea meet in China and are captured by the media, it would bring significant public pressure on domestic politics.
Under this context, the second-highest-ranking official in national protocol, Woo Myung-hoon, attending the event not only maintains the diplomatic etiquette required for Sino-South Korean relations, but also avoids the diplomatic chain reactions caused by the president's attendance.
In fact, Lee Jae-myung himself has shown interest in the event itself. After receiving the invitation letter, there were reports that he considered attending.
However, considering that he had just taken office, the pressure from the United States, and the relationship between the United States and South Korea, it almost inevitably means that he will not come himself.
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1842132049633347/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.