Lawmakers visit Beijing to discuss revitalizing ties

A group of lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties arrived in Beijing, Thursday, for talks with Chinese officials on finding solutions to the North Korea nuclear issue and revitalizing Seoul-Beijing relations.

Rep. Chung Dong-young of the People’s Party, who served as a unification minister from 2004 to 2006, will lead the group that includes Reps. Lee Seok-hyun and Kim Du-kwan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea; Na Kyung-won of the Liberty Korea Party; Cho Bae-sook of the People’s Party; and Choung Byoung-gug of the Bareun Party.

“We will exchange ideas with Chinese government officials to generate a diplomatic solution for the North Korean nuclear issue and will urge the government’s overall cooperation to revive the bilateral relationship with China,” Chung said in a press statement, Wednesday.

The visit came two days after the two countries agreed to revitalize their relations frayed by the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here. South Korea said that no additional THAAD batteries would be deployed while stating the existing battery will not harm China’s national security.

Both parties are now coordinating a summit between President Moon Jae-in and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping within this year, South Korean Ambassador to China, Noh Young-min, said in a radio interview Thursday. South Korean companies operating in China, which suffered from economic retaliation, are likely to get back on track.

The delegation will have talks with Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui and Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress Chairwoman Fu Ying.