Woo Jong-soon vows stronger Korea-China economic bridge

Feb 27, 2026, 07:29 am

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Woo Jong-soon, chairman of the Korea-China Economic Association (sixth from left in the front row), former Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun (fifth), and Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing (seventh) pose for a commemorative photo at the 2026 New Year’s reception of the Korea-China Economic Association held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Feb. 26. / Photo by Park Sung-il

Woo Jong-soon, chairman of the Korea-China Economic Association, on Wednesday emphasized that South Korea and China are key partners capable of generating significant synergy and pledged to strengthen the association’s role as a bridge between businesses in the two countries.

Speaking at the association’s 2026 New Year’s reception held at the Press Center in central Seoul, Woo expressed hope for deeper bilateral cooperation.

“I sincerely hope that friendship and cooperation between Korea and China will grow even stronger in the new year, bringing new opportunities and shared prosperity to the people and businesses of both countries,” Woo said, calling for active support from Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing in advancing bilateral ties.

Woo noted that expectations for expanded economic exchanges have risen following recent summits between President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping, including talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju earlier this year.

Amid accelerating global supply chain restructuring, digital transformation and the transition to eco-friendly industries, Woo said the two countries’ complementary industrial structures position them as crucial partners in future growth sectors.

“The Korea-China Economic Association will faithfully serve as a bridge to expand exchanges between companies of both countries and strengthen mutual trust,” he said.

Ambassador Dai echoed Woo’s remarks, describing the two nations as “close neighbors that cannot move away from each other” and indispensable partners.

“Strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation and expanding the pie of shared interests is the right choice for both of us,” Dai said.

He added that the two sides should explore new growth drivers in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, biopharmaceuticals, green industries and the silver economy, welcoming Korean firms to leverage geographic advantages to deepen economic cooperation with China.

Former Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun also underscored the importance of bilateral ties in a congratulatory speech, saying that trade, investment and technological cooperation have been a source of strength for both countries and will continue to create new opportunities and achievements.

President Lee has held a series of summits with President Xi since taking office, aligning on key issues. One notable outcome cited was China’s relocation of one of three structures installed in the West Sea last month to outside the provisional maritime zone shared by the two countries.

Despite signs of improving ties, challenges remain, including the lifting of Beijing’s informal cultural restrictions on Korean content, often referred to as the THAAD-related retaliation.

Woo and Dai agreed to continue efforts to promote private-sector economic exchanges between the two countries.

#Woo Jong-soon #Korea-China Economic Association #Dai Bing #Jeong Sye-kyun #Lee Jae-myung