S. Korea forecasts 'good news' soon in diplomatic row with China

By Lim Chang-won Posted : October 30, 2017, 18:32 Updated : October 30, 2017, 18:32

[Courtesy of Xinhua news agency ]



South Korea's foreign minister was optimistic about a turnaround in strained ties with China, saying there would be an announcement soon about a diplomatic row caused by the deployment of an American missile shield.

At a parliamentary audit, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said she has received  "positive" signs related to the dispute over a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

She was forced to make related comments several times about the impending announcement which she said would come "in the near future". "I expect that we will be able to announce related news soon for the future-oriented development of the two countries."

The two countries have maintained close consultations on pending issues, she said, adding there would be "good" steps that would help Seoul and Beijing end a difficult period to move toward "quick normalization".

Kang said his office is preparing for talks between President Moon Jae-in and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam.

She also vowed to push for Moon's trip to Beijing by the end of this year but  expressed caution about Xi's early visit to Seoul. At talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany, the two leaders agreed in principle on Moon's trip to Beijing.

This month, China agreed to extend a currency swap deal worth 56 billion US dollars that has been seen as a symbol of economic cooperation between Asia's two major economies. Government officials hoped the new swap deal may signal an easing of China's informal trade and economic retaliation that intensified after US troops in South Korea brought in the missile system in April. 


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