On September 28, 2026, according to South Korean media Newsis, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung expressed the view that while prioritizing the ROK-U.S. alliance in diplomacy, it is also important to properly manage relations with China.

According to the article, President Lee posted on his SNS on the same day, "The greatest goal of diplomacy is national interest, that is, national development and improvement of the people's lives." He stated, "In diplomacy, the ROK-U.S. alliance is most important, but managing relations with China is also important."

Along with the post, President Lee shared data showing the trend of exports to China by past administrations. According to the data, the Lee administration's average monthly export value to China is 15.1 billion dollars (approximately 2.3 trillion yen), which is 36% more than the 11 billion dollars (approximately 1.73 trillion yen) under the previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration. President Lee emphasized, "For South Korea, an open trading nation, exports are the most important factor for industrial development and the improvement of the people's lives."

Furthermore, he explained that efforts are being made to secure momentum for economic recovery and sustainable growth, as well as to alleviate social disparities, stating, "Once next year's budget begins to be executed, a considerable degree of improvement will be felt, and living conditions will also improve." He also revealed that "special measures" to resolve housing, employment, and debt issues would be prepared soon.

The article reported, "These remarks are seen as indicating a stance to maintain and manage important economic relations with China for the South Korean economy, while prioritizing the alliance with the United States."

Regarding this, South Korean netizens voiced opinions such as, "Why specifically prioritize China?", "He's trying to curry favor with China," "Untrustworthy," "President Lee is all talk," and "I don't think it's appropriate to say such important things on SNS."

On the other hand, there were also comments such as, "It's a good impression to clearly state policies," "I think it's realistic diplomacy to prioritize the alliance with the U.S. while also managing relations with China," "It's a fact that China is a major trading partner for South Korea," "However, I think becoming too dependent on China is a risk. We should proceed with balance," and "Housing, employment, and household measures are important. I hope they will quickly and concretely show what the actual contents will be." (Translation/Editing by Higuchi)