SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Tuesday he was doubtful whether China’s ambassador had an attitude of mutual respect after the envoy warned Seoul against making “wrong bets” in the Sino-U.S. rivalry, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Yoon made the comment during a cabinet meeting, Yonhap reported, citing multiple people who attended the session.
Last week, Seoul’s foreign ministry summoned the ambassador, Xing Haiming, after he blamed South Korea for worsening bilateral ties due to U.S. influence and urged the country to stop “decoupling” from China.
“Looking at Ambassador Xing’s attitude, it’s doubtful if he has an attitude of mutual respect or promotion of friendship as a diplomat,” Yoon was quoted by Yonhap as telling the meeting. “Our people are displeased with his inappropriate behaviour.”
When asked about the situation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Friday the current challenges in the Chinese-South Korean relations were “not caused by China.”
(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Ed Davies)
