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South Korean FM signals USFK involvement in Taiwan won't be summit agenda; remarks show pragmatic diplomacy: expert

Global Times

By Feng Fan Published: Aug 19, 2025 09:48 PM

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun signaled Monday that the possibility of US Forces Korea (USFK) intervening in an emergency over the island of Taiwan should not be placed on the agenda of Seoul-Washington summit talks, Yonhap News Agency reported. Chinese expert said Cho's remarks reflect the pragmatic diplomacy of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

During a parliamentary foreign affairs committee session, Kim Gi-hyeon, a lawmaker from the main opposition People Power Party, voiced opposition to US Forces Korea's (USFK) involvement in a possible Taiwan contingency, urging that the issue not be brought up at next week's summit.

Cho said such efforts were under way to that effect, while denying that talks with the US were taking place under the premise that Seoul could agree to the mobilization of USFK troops and equipment for a Taiwan contingency, the Yonhap reported.

Kim Joon-hyung of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party asked about South Korea's possible involvement in such a contingency, Cho said no country should attempt to abruptly change the status quo for the sake of peace and stability in East Asia.

An expert noted that Cho's remarks, made just before President Lee Jae-myung's visits to Japan and the US for summit meetings, send a signal that South Korea will not side with US attempts to contain China.

"South Korea is signaling it will not pick sides in the US containment strategy against China, especially on the Taiwan question, which is China's core of core interests," Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"Not only will Seoul refrain from doing so itself, but it also considers USFK's involvement in Taiwan unacceptable. This reflects South Korea's pursuit of a practical and balanced diplomacy toward China and the US," said Da.

On August 5, when questioned about the possibility of discussions in the upcoming South Korea-US summit about South Korea's role in the event of a cross-Taiwan Straits conflict, a senior government official said, "There will be no such discussions," stressing that the event "is a hypothetical situation, so we will not talk about it," according to the Hankyoreh.

During working-level talks to iron out the details of the upcoming summit, the US representatives reportedly communicated that they will not bring up the subject of South Korea's potential role in the event of a cross-Taiwan Straits conflict, according to the Hankyoreh.

The South Korean administration is maintaining its distance from any issues concerning the Taiwan Strait — the powder keg in the discord between the US and China — indicating that it will stick to its strategy of "pragmatic diplomacy," the Hankyoreh reported.

The Hankyoreh quoted observers saying that even if the summit produces a joint statement that mentions the Taiwan Strait, it will not use language that goes beyond the boilerplate stances already expressed.

Ties between China and South Korea have recently shown signs of improving. On Friday, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing posted on social media that he has noticed that the South Korean side recently emphasized the need to take proactive measures to prevent discrimination and violence against foreigners, specifically mentioning issues related to anti-China protests. Dai said he appreciated the high-level attention from the South Korean side and their commitment to taking measures.

His remarks followed South Korean President Lee's criticism on August 12 of a hate rally in Seoul's Daerim-dong targeting China, which he said damaged South Korea's reputation as a model democratic nation. Lee ordered authorities to take strong measures against discrimination and human rights violations against migrant workers, foreigners and vulnerable groups, the Hankyoreh reported. The rally took place in front of a Chinese diplomatic mission, with abusive language and violence that went beyond the limits of free expression.

"Amid the current complex and turbulent international situation, strengthening friendly cooperation between China and South Korea is in the interest of both sides and aligns with the common expectations of our peoples," Dai said. "Certain forces are attempting to smear China with political lies, but I believe the people of both China and South Korea can distinguish right from wrong. I hope such issues can be resolved soon and look forward to the further development of China-South Korea relations."