Chinese FM Wang Yi met with ROK’s President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul. The fact that China-ROK relations have achieved comprehensive recovery and positive progress since the beginning of this year demonstrates that a rational, pragmatic and proactive policy toward #China# fully serves the interests of the #ROK# and conforms to the trend of the times. It is hoped that the ROK will firmly pursue a friendly policy toward China and take the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year as an opportunity to make greater progress in the China-ROK strategic cooperative partnership and contribute to the development of both countries and to peace and prosperity in the region. 🔗

Chinese FM Wang Yi held talks with ROK’s FM Cho Hyun in Seoul. Wang noted that as permanent good neighbors and long-term cooperation partners, #China# and the #ROK# should demonstrate strategic vision, bear in mind the long-term development of the two countries and the fundamental interests of the two peoples, strive to ensure the sound, stable and sustainable growth of bilateral relations, bring more benefits to the two peoples, and make more contributions to regional peace and development. On the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Wang stressed that China has always been committed to playing a constructive role in promoting peace and stability on the peninsula, and is glad to see the ROK and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) move toward peaceful coexistence, and eventually achieve lasting peace and stability on the peninsula. 🔗

Chinese FM Wang Yi held a strategic dialogue with ROK National Security Office Director Wi Sung-lac in Seoul. Wang noted that #China# is the #ROK’s# largest neighbor and an important force for peace in the international community. China has never initiated or participated in any war, and has always played a constructive role in promoting the peaceful resolution of international and regional disputes. It is hoped that the ROK will achieve genuine strategic autonomy, refrain from bloc confrontation and taking sides, and develop relations with major countries, including China and the US, in parallel without conflict. Wang stressed that it is necessary to remain highly vigilant against the rhetoric and actions of Japan’s right-wing forces that seek to turn back the wheel of history, and that the resurgence of Japanese militarism must never be allowed. On the Korean Peninsula situation, Wang said the fundamental way to ease tensions is to address the root causes and push for the US to abandon its hostile policy toward the DPRK. He called on all parties to do more to facilitate the resumption of dialogue and restoration of mutual trust. 🔗

SOUTH KOREAN FOREIGN MINISTER CHO HYUN AND U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO DISCUSSED A RANGE OF ISSUES AFFECTING THE U.S.-ROK ALLIANCE, THE KOREAN PENINSULA AND BROADER GLOBAL AFFAIRS, WITH RUBIO EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR THE TWO COUNTRIES TO REMAIN IN CLOSE COORDINATION AS THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT BECOMES MORE COMPLICATED.

THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS SECRETARY OF STATE RUBIO MET REPUBLIC OF KOREA FOREIGN MINISTER CHO HYUN ON MONDAY ON A RANGE OF ISSUES IN THE U.S.-ROK ALLIANCE, WITH RUBIO NOTING THE NEED FOR THE TWO COUNTRIES TO REMAIN IN CLOSE COORDINATION

From a friend, about the Lee Jae-myung government, allegedly bypassing the military leadership, ordering frontline troops not to carry ammunition: “Chosun Ilbo & SBS TV News:  ROK Army's 1st Corps, located on the front lines, is conducting guard duty with 'empty guns' without hanging ammunition belts loaded with live rounds on the 'K6 heavy machine guns' deployed at guard posts and general outposts. The shocking scandal is also being reported by SBS TV News.  According to SBS, these insane orders apparently came from the highest civilian level.  ‘Where are the bullets?’ Serving with 'empty guns' on the front lines... Even the Joint Chiefs of Staff didn't know ROK Front Line Troops Now Without Ammo Loaded in Guns

U.S.-Japan-ROK Energy Cooperation in Action: A "Team Korea" consortium will build America's first floating LNG facility off Louisiana — while Japan's MOL takes a ~23% equity stake. Indo-Pacific partners are helping power America's energy future. 🇺🇸 🇯🇵 🇰🇷

AI safety doesn’t translate one-to-one. We partnered with the Korea AI Safety Institute to develop ROK-FORTRESS, our first benchmark together, testing how language and geopolitical context affect AI safety. Across 14 frontier models, we found that translation alone can miss meaningful differences in model behavior.

The 15th round of the second-phase negotiations on the China-ROK Free Trade Agreement was held in Beijing from June 22 to 26, CCTV News reported on Monday. The two sides held in-depth discussions on issues including cross-border trade in services and financial services, as well as negative-list market access, achieving positive progress. They agreed to conclude the second-phase negotiations at an early date, further raise the level of openness in the services and investment sectors, and deliver more tangible benefits to the businesses and people of both countries.