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| ▲ President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Korea-China Business Forum held at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Jan. 5, 2026. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ President Lee Jae Myung (3rd from L) speaks during a Korea-China Business Forum held at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Jan. 5, 2026. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) S Korea-China-biz forum
(LEAD) Lee calls for cooperation with China in AI, beauty, cultural products
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with remarks, details, photos; CHANGES headline)
By Kim Eun-jung
BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that South Korea and China need to expand cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), beauty and cultural products, noting such areas of cooperation would serve as a new breakthrough in promoting bilateral trade.
Lee made the remarks at a business forum with top executives from major companies of the two nations at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, ahead of summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"The Republic of Korea and China are ships that sail on the same sea in the same direction," Lee said, referring to South Korea's official name. "The two countries have helped each other grow through interconnected industrial supply chains and led the global economy."
Lee said it is time to "chart a new path" as the global trade environment is changing rapidly, with technology evolving at a fast pace and supply chains becoming increasingly unpredictable.
"If we rely only on inertia, we could miss important turning points," he said.
Pointing out that annual bilateral trade has been stagnant at around US$300 billion, Lee underscored the importance of exploring new growth engines in cutting-edge technologies and cultural content.
"We need to forge a new level of cooperation through future technologies, like AI, which can deepen collaboration across both manufacturing and services," he said.
Consumer goods, such as household products, cosmetics and food, as well as cultural content, including films, music, games and sports, could also offer a "new breakthrough" in economic ties between the two nations, he added.
The forum was arranged as part of Lee's state visit to China, as South Korea seeks to broaden and deepen economic cooperation in key sectors, such as semiconductors, batteries, and emerging business opportunities in culture and other industries.
The business forum brought together about 600 participants from both countries, including over 400 Korean officials from 161 companies and about 200 from China, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
Among the South Korean participants are Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Chair Euisun Chung, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo.
Jang Cheol-hyuk, CEO of K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment, and Kim Chang-han, CEO of game developer Krafton, also joined the forum, raising expectations that the two sides could explore cooperation in the cultural and gaming sectors.
From the Chinese side, Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade; Fu Qijun, chairman of Sinopec Group; Ni Zhen, chairman of China Energy Engineering Group; and Liao Lin, chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, took part in the event.
Top executives from electronics maker TCL Technology, battery maker CATL, apparel brand LANCY, messaging and gaming giant Tencent, and smartphone maker ZTE attended the forum.
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