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South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Dalian, China, and called for taking bilateral exchanges to the next level in politics, the economy, culture and youth cooperation, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The meeting marked the first prime minister-level talks between the two countries since 2019. Kim, who was in China for a three-day trip that began Monday, also met with Chinese businesspeople in Beijing and attended the WEF meeting, also known as the Summer Davos Forum.

Coverage comparison

Yonhap News Agency reported extensively on Kim's trip, filing multiple stories from Seoul and Beijing. The wire service's coverage highlighted Kim's first official event Monday — a meeting with Chinese businesspeople at the South Korean ambassador's residence in Beijing — and his subsequent talks with Premier Li on Tuesday.

Some reports focused on Kim's itinerary, noting he would fly to Dalian after Beijing to attend the WEF meeting and deliver a special address outlining South Korea's innovative economic vision. Others centered on the content of his meeting with Li, including Kim's request for China's role in Korean Peninsula affairs and his call for a Chinese delegation to visit South Korea's Saemangeum project.

The reports also noted that Kim's trip was his first to China since taking office last year as the first prime minister under President Lee Jae Myung. A planned March visit for the Boao Forum for Asia was canceled because of the effects of the Middle East conflict.

Key claims

According to Yonhap, Kim met with Chinese businesspeople in Beijing on Monday, telling them he wanted to witness China's "remarkable economic development" with his own eyes. He also said South Korea and China were "walking a firmer path (together) since the establishment of diplomatic ties, upon the foundation of a long history," and asked participants to share their success stories and cooperation plans with South Korean firms.

Kim's office said he was scheduled to deliver a special address at the Summer Davos Forum outlining South Korea's innovative economic vision and proposing ways of international cooperation.

During his meeting with Li, Kim called on China to play a "positive" role in creating conditions for dialogue between the two Koreas and between North Korea and the United States. An official at the prime minister's office said Kim expressed hope that Chinese leadership, including President Xi Jinping, would play a role on Korean Peninsula issues, noting Xi's recent visit to Pyongyang and China's good relations with the North. Kim also said resuming dialogue with North Korea is crucial for peace and stability not only on the peninsula but around the world. Li responded by showing understanding of Kim's remarks, the official said.

On industrial cooperation, Kim asked for an early visit by a Chinese delegation for potential investment in South Korea's Saemangeum project in the country's southwest, aimed at turning reclaimed land into a hub for artificial intelligence, robotics and hydrogen industries.

Kim also told Li that South Korea would extend the temporary visa waiver program for Chinese short-term travelers until December of this year, a policy initially set to end in late June, as part of efforts to boost people-to-people exchanges.

In his opening remarks, Kim said, "South Korea and China need to take our bilateral exchanges to the next level, in politics, the economy, culture and youth cooperation." He added that the meeting was "highly meaningful as a bridge toward sustained political engagement in the future" and expressed confidence it would "strengthen our strategic cooperative partnership as it enters a new stage."

Noting that China is set to host this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, Kim said he hoped for a successful hosting that would "serve as an exemplar" for the international community. South Korea hosted last year's APEC summit in Gyeongju.

Li, in turn, said China is willing to further build trust with South Korea and expand the scope and depth of bilateral cooperation under the strategic leadership of the two countries' leaders, according to Yonhap. "Through that, we hope to advance the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership in a positive and stable manner, and achieve regional prosperity and stability," Li said.

Yonhap also reported that Kim is the first South Korean prime minister to attend the Summer Davos Forum in 10 years, since then-Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn did so in 2016. The news agency noted that Kim's trip is expected to be his last overseas visit as prime minister, as he has already offered to resign to run for leader of the ruling Democratic Party. President Lee has nominated Han Seong-sook, minister for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups, to succeed Kim.