Why democracy summit may signal South Korea’s shift to harder stance on China
- The event included an address by a Taiwanese minister and follows moves by President Yoon Suk-yeol to strengthen ties with the US
- Seoul has been more vocal about Taiwan under Yoon, but observers say its close economic ties with Beijing will still be a reason for caution
The three-day event, which ended on Wednesday and was attended by representatives from more than 100 countries and regions, was the third of its kind and the first to be held outside the US since President Joe Biden launched the forum in 2021.
As in previous years, the event was addressed by a Taiwanese representative, while mainland China was excluded.
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Beijing criticises South Korea for inviting Taiwan to democracy summit
Diplomatic observers said that while Seoul would still be cautious regarding Taiwan because of its close economic ties with mainland China, the hosting of the summit and close alignment with the US in other areas could drive it further away from Beijing.
Kang Jun-young, a professor of Chinese studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, said: “Basically, South Korea is pursuing value-based diplomacy.
“The reason is that now that the Biden administration is pursuing a policy that emphasises and values alliances, and Korea is also a democratic and free-market economy country.
