During a recent interview with American media, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok discussed how to maintain balance in the power struggle between the United States and China. He pointed out that South Korea's "terrain" has tilted toward the United States. At the same time, he stated that if South Korea makes appropriate efforts to maintain its relationship with China, it can still strive to sustain the Sino-South Korean relationship.

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok interviewed in his office in Seoul, South Korea

As reported by Bloomberg on Thursday, Kim Min-seok gave an exclusive interview to Bloomberg News in Seoul. In the interview, he talked about trade negotiations and visa issues between South Korea and the United States, as well as how to maintain balance in the competition between the two superpowers.

Regarding the visa issue, Kim Min-seok told Bloomberg News, "Without resolving the visa issue, it is almost impossible to make meaningful progress."

The report said that at the same time as South Korea and the United States were engaged in tense negotiations over a trade agreement, the visa issue was affecting these two allies. The agreement imposes a 15% tariff on South Korean goods, including automobiles. Due to differences between the two sides on how to build and implement a $350 billion investment plan (the core pillar of the agreement), finalizing the agreement has become difficult.

Lv Chao, an expert from the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told Global Times on Thursday that Kim Min-seok's remarks conveyed the concerns of South Korea and its companies, which are a reasonable expression of the country's demands, because trade issues are a key factor in South Korea-US relations.

Reuters reported on Monday that President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea had also expressed dissatisfaction with the economic pressure exerted by the United States on South Korea earlier this week. Yoon Suk-yeol said that if the South Korean government accepts the current U.S. demands in the stalled trade negotiations without safeguards, the South Korean economy could face a crisis comparable to that of 1997.

In the Bloomberg interview, the host also asked Kim Min-seok how South Korea would respond to the technological competition between the United States and China.

In the interview video, Kim Min-seok said, "Naturally, we strive to maintain good relations with all neighboring countries," he pointed out, "However, we know that the overall 'plateau' we are in has slightly shifted compared to the past, in a way that everyone is clearly aware of. The 'terrain' itself has slightly shifted compared to the past."

When further questioned about the manner, Kim Min-seok said, "The 'terrain' itself has tilted toward strengthening relations with the United States." According to the interview content, when asked what this meant for Sino-South Korean relations, the prime minister also said, "I think China also understands this."

Kim Min-seok added, "If South Korea, located on this larger 'terrain,' understands the changes in the 'terrain,' and makes appropriate efforts to maintain its relationship with China, then even on such a 'terrain,' South Korea can still strive to maintain its relationship with China."

Lv Chao noted that how to strike a balance between the United States and China has long been a continuous challenge for successive South Korean governments. He also said that the statements of President Yoon Suk-yeol and the visits of senior South Korean officials to China indicate that the current South Korean government is seeking to reverse the one-sided tilt of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, bringing South Korea back onto the correct track of Sino-South Korean relations.

On September 18, the South Korean president told Time magazine, "We will stand with the United States in the new global order and in the supply chain centered on the United States, but we also need to manage our relationship with China," he added, otherwise, "South Korea might become the frontline of confrontation between two different groups."

On September 17, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong departed for Beijing to attend the Sino-Korean foreign ministers' meeting, stating, "China is a very important neighbor of ours," and "we will explore the direction of Sino-Korean relations and discuss unresolved issues."

Lv Chao pointed out that despite the presence of anti-China forces within South Korea and the pressure of U.S. tariffs, the current South Korean government maintains a positive attitude towards China, and he considers this development to be positive. However, the expert added that it is still necessary to closely monitor South Korea's future specific actions.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7554208240456778259/

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