President Lee Jae-myung on the 2nd said regarding the cross-strait (China and Taiwan) issue, "I, too, respect one China." China adheres to the position that Taiwan is part of China under the "one China" principle, while Taiwan asserts it is a government independent of China. In this situation, Lee officially mentioned the Korean government's position that "Taiwan is part of China."
In an interview with China's state-run CCTV that day, Lee said, "The content agreed upon between the governments of the Republic of Korea and China at the time of the establishment of diplomatic ties serves as a core standard defining Korea-China relations and remains valid." The statement the two countries concluded in 1992 specifies, "The government of the Republic of Korea recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legal government of China," and "There is only one China, and the government of the Republic of Korea respects the position of the Chinese side that Taiwan is part of China."
Lee said, "Peace and stability are very important in neighboring issues, including those in Northeast Asia and the cross-strait issue," adding, "The basic relationship between Korea and China has basic, principled positions set at the time of normalization. I can make it clear that the government of the Republic of Korea has not deviated from those positions." He also said, "I believe Korea should strive to respect and understand China's national interests, and China should strive to respect and understand Korea's national interests," and added, "On China's pending issue of Taiwan, our position of respecting 'one China' remains unchanged."
The interview with China's state-run media aired two days before Lee's visit to China on the 4th. Starting that day, Lee will make a state visit to China for four days and three nights. According to Cheong Wa Dae, on the 5th in Beijing, Lee will hold a summit and attend a state banquet with President Xi Jinping. The next day, after meeting the chair of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the counterpart to a parliamentary speaker, he is scheduled to have a luncheon with Premier Li Qiang, China's economic control tower. On the 7th, he will attend the Korea-China Venture and Startup Summit to meet young entrepreneurs from both countries in content, medical, and energy fields.