2025.09.20
On the morning of September 19, 2025, a delegation from the Plaza Project, a policy think tank registered with the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, visited the Grandview Institution. The two sides held in-depth discussions on the foreign policy direction of President Lee Jae-myung’s new administration and the future development of China–Korea relations.
The Korean scholars noted that the new administration’s diplomacy will be guided by pragmatism, seeking to transition from the “security with the U.S., economy with China” strategy toward a more balanced approach. While adjusting its overreliance on the United States for security, Seoul aims to optimize economic cooperation with China. The Korean side expressed hope that China would introduce more concrete cooperation initiatives and further ease trade restrictions. On the North Korean nuclear issue, the Korean representatives advocated a pragmatic engagement strategy but remained skeptical about the prospects for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The Chinese participants emphasized that China has always pursued an independent and autonomous policy toward Korea, and expressed the hope that Seoul could play a constructive bridging role between China and the United States. They suggested that the two countries expand cooperation in third-party markets, particularly under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, and strengthen collaboration in science, technology, and non-traditional security fields.
Both sides agreed on the need to resume people-to-people exchanges and dialogue mechanisms at various levels as soon as possible, jointly promote the construction of the China–Japan–Korea Free Trade Area, and explore ways to push the global trading system toward a model of managed trade.
Founded in 2019, the Plaza Project is a non-profit think tank officially registered with the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. It focuses on issues related to national security, economy, diplomacy, and peace on the Korean Peninsula. Guided by the goal of developing comprehensive survival strategies to meet future global challenges, the think tank seeks to transcend partisan divisions, offer balanced and high-quality policy advice, and strengthen international exchanges with global experts and research institutions to contribute to peace, development, and cooperation.
Participants
Korean Delegation
• Kim Heung-gyu, Director, U.S.–China Policy Institute at Ajou University; Chairman, Plaza Project
• Hyun O-seok, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Korea; Adviser, Korea–U.S. Friendship Association; Chairman, Advisory Council, Plaza Project
• Lee Beok-soon, Adviser, Law Firm Yulchon; Member, Advisory Council, Plaza Project
• Lee Dong-min, President, Peninsula Institute for Strategic Affairs (PISA); Executive Member, Plaza Project
• Lee Jong-won, Professor Emeritus, Waseda University (Japan); Executive Member, Plaza Project
• Jeon In-beom, Senior Research Fellow, Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA); Executive Member, Plaza Project
• Jung Jae-heung, Senior Research Fellow, Sejong Institute; Member, Advisory Council, Plaza Project
• Cho Yang-hyun, Director, Center for Japanese Studies, Korea National Diplomatic Academy; Member, Advisory Council, Plaza Project
• Joo Eun-sik, President, Korea Strategic Issues Institute; Member, Advisory Council, Plaza Project
• Choi Don-ho, CEO, D.H. Pharm; Member, Finance Committee, Plaza Project
• Han Seol, Former Director, Army History Institute; Member, Advisory Council, Plaza Project
• Hong Hyung-taek, Senior Adviser, Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN); Member, Advisory Council, Plaza Project
• Jung Eun-ji, Reporter, News1 Korea; Beijing Correspondent
Grandview Institution Representatives
• Ren Libo, Founder and President, Grandview Institution
• Zhang Tuosheng, Chief Research Fellow, Grandview Institution
• Ma Xiaoye, Member, Academic Committee, Grandview Institution
• Han Yuanzheng, Deputy Secretary-General, Grandview Institution