South Korea reaffirms one-China stance; Beijing expresses approval

On June 18, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs director-general for Northeast Asia and Central Asia, Nam Jin, publicly reiterated Seoul's position respecting Taiwan as part of China, emphasizing that this stance has remained unchanged since the 1992 Korea-China Joint Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations. The communiqué explicitly states that the Republic of Korea recognizes the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China and respects China's position that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of China. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman responded positively to the reaffirmation, welcoming South Korea's adherence to the foundational principles of their bilateral relations and political commitments. The Chinese statement noted that South Korean President Lee Jae-myung had made similar commitments in January 2026 before visiting China, emphasizing Korea's consistent respect for the one-China principle and acknowledgment of Taiwan as China's core concern. Beijing expressed hope that Seoul will continue to uphold the political foundation of China-Korea relations through concrete actions demonstrating commitment to the one-China principle. The statement underscored that successive South Korean governments have maintained this consistent position without deviation.