According to Chinese media Observer Network, U.S. House Select Committee on China Chairman Mohlenar (Republican) recently asserted that closer ties between China and South Korea pose a "serious threat" to the United States.

Citing a Reuters report, Mohlenar reportedly requested in a letter to Secretary of State Rubio that monitoring be strengthened, claiming that closer ties between South Korea, a U.S. ally, and China pose a "serious risk" to the United States.

In the letter, Mohlenar called for "a high level of vigilance" regarding China-South Korea relations, citing as reasons the strengthening of China-South Korea summit-level relations, South Korean semiconductor companies' investments in China, and the unfair treatment of U.S. companies compared to Chinese companies within South Korea.

While positioning South Korea as a "key U.S. ally," Mohlenar warned that "friction could arise between the two countries that could lead to structural changes in South Korea's diplomatic alignment," and appealed for "careful monitoring and coordinated action as needed."

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs refrained from making detailed comments on the contents of the letter, stating that the U.S.-South Korea alliance is a cornerstone of South Korea's foreign policy and that the two countries are developing their alliance in multiple areas.

Mohlenar pointed out that China-South Korea summit-level exchanges are progressing at an unprecedented pace, citing President Xi Jinping's visit to South Korea in 2025 for the first time in 11 years, and President Lee Jae-myung's visit to China this year as the first South Korean president since 2019. Furthermore, as an example of a particularly concerning "widening gap" between the U.S. and South Korea, he cited South Korea's "virtual denial" of support for a regional response if China were to invade Taiwan, quoting Lee's statement during the 2025 presidential election campaign: "What does it have to do with us what happens in the Taiwan Strait?"

Regarding the technology sector, he asserted that South Korean companies' semiconductor investments in China could make key U.S. supply chains more susceptible to pressure from China. He cited Samsung Electronics' Xi'an semiconductor factory and SK Hynix's operations in Wuxi and Dalian, pointing out that these could become leverage for China to exert pressure on allied countries' advanced technology production. Furthermore, he expressed concern that South Korean authorities are allegedly lenient on Chinese e-commerce (EC) platforms such as Alibaba-owned AliExpress and Temu regarding crackdowns on alleged violations of regulations concerning personal information handling, consumer protection, cybersecurity, and product safety, compared to U.S. companies like Coupang.

Mohlenar reportedly requested that the State Department provide an explanation regarding the trends in China-South Korea relations by October 31. (Translation/Editing by Yanagawa)