South Korea asks China to mediate talks with North Korea crisis

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has appealed to China to take on a mediator role with North Korea, as diplomatic and military tensions continue to build on the Korean Peninsula. Lee said he raised the issue directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, stressing the need to reopen dialogue on security matters, particularly North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

Diplomatic push in Beijing

Speaking to reporters in Shanghai, Lee said he explicitly asked Beijing to help bridge the communication gap between Seoul and Pyongyang. “I requested that China play a mediating role on Korean Peninsula issues, including the nuclear question,” he said, noting that all inter-Korean contact channels are currently severed and mutual trust has “effectively disappeared.”

China’s response and regional context

According to Lee, the Chinese leadership reacted constructively to the proposal. President Xi reportedly referred to earlier diplomatic efforts and underlined the importance of patience, a stance Lee said he supports. The visit marked Lee’s first official trip to China since taking office in June last year and came at a sensitive moment for regional security in East Asia, a region closely followed by Türkiye due to its broader geopolitical implications.

North Korea missile test and stalled dialogue

Lee’s trip coincided with North Korea’s launch of hypersonic missiles, its first ballistic missile test of the year, highlighting the urgency of renewed talks. Lee acknowledged that South Korea’s previous military posture may have heightened tensions, saying understanding the other side is essential for dialogue. Despite Seoul’s recent attempts to improve relations, Pyongyang has remained unresponsive, following a sharp downturn in ties during the administration of former president Yoon Suk Yeol.