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Rising tensions call for stronger South Korea–China, South Korea–Japan dialogue

Published: 19 Nov. 2025, 00:00

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a press conference after the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, Nov. 1. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Regional dynamics in Northeast Asia have grown increasingly unsettled following the APEC Summit in Gyeongju. The U.S.–China confrontation, briefly eased after President Donald Trump’s first summit of his second term, has now been overtaken by a fresh dispute between China and Japan. The latest conflict, triggered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on exercising collective self-defense in the event of a Taiwan contingency, has escalated beyond the tensions seen in 2012 when Tokyo nationalized the Senkaku Islands, known in China as the Diaoyu Islands.

This clash did not emerge out of nowhere. It reflects a backlash against the strengthened trilateral cooperation among Korea, the United States and Japan in response to closer coordination among North Korea, China and Russia amid the intensifying strategic rivalry between the United States and China. President Trump’s approval of South Korea’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines and his support for expanded reprocessing and enrichment rights for peaceful purposes mark developments that could reshape the security landscape in Northeast Asia. Both China and North Korea were expected to react sharply. In that context, Takaichi’s comments became, from Beijing’s perspective, a provocation that arrived when it was already on alert. South Korea has little choice but to watch the unfolding friction between China and Japan with growing discomfort.

North Korea’s Nov. 18 statement, which criticized the joint South Korea–U.S. fact sheet and the Security Consultative Meeting communiqué, claiming that the allies’ “confrontational intent” had again been formalized, also fits this broader environment.

Seoul now needs to activate the high-level strategic communication channel agreed to during the recent Korea–China summit. Managing the current escalation and preventing further deterioration requires a precise understanding of each leader’s position. In that process, South Korea must explain clearly that its nuclear-powered submarine program and revisions to the bilateral nuclear cooperation framework stem from North Korea’s advancing missile and nuclear capabilities and Washington’s push to strengthen alliance roles, not from any attempt to counter China. South Korea should also continue urging Beijing to exercise meaningful influence over Pyongyang’s behavior.

President Lee Jae Myung will have opportunities to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in South Africa. These meetings should be used proactively to reinforce communication at the leadership level.

The South Korean and Japanese leaders, who agreed at their last meeting to restore shuttle diplomacy and pursue a future-oriented partnership, should also share assessments of the region’s security situation. Tokyo’s recent refusal to provide refueling support for Korea’s Black Eagles aerobatic team, which led to a halt in bilateral defense exchanges, must be addressed as a setback to developing relations. Successive South Korean administrations have seen ties with Japan deteriorate once historical issues reemerged. That pattern must not be repeated.

At moments like this, officials and political leaders in South Korea, China and Japan should refrain from statements or actions that could damage future ties.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.