January 22, 2026
SEOUL – The anticipated South Korea-China foreign ministers’ meeting will likely focus on revitalizing cultural and people-to-people exchanges, including a possible easing of China’s long-standing restrictions on Korean pop culture, observers said Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told President Lee Jae Myung during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday that Seoul and Beijing had agreed to hold ministerial-level talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi within the January-March period. Cho made the report after Lee asked about follow-up measures to his recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, particularly progress on restoring cultural exchanges with China.
Observers say the upcoming foreign ministers’ meeting could serve as a test of Beijing’s willingness to ease what has been widely referred to as the “Hallyu ban,” which has limited K-pop performances and the distribution of South Korean dramas and films in China. Some expect concerts featuring South Korean artists to be held in China in the near future, signaling a gradual thaw in cultural exchanges.
Lee Moon-bae, deputy spokesperson of South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, said during a regular briefing Tuesday that “foreign ministers’ meetings do not deal with just one specific issue, but broadly cover issues related to overall bilateral relations.”
Lee visited China on Jan. 5 for his first overseas trip of the year, holding a bilateral summit with Xi following last year’s meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation across multiple areas, while also highlighting improved ties through symbolic gestures, including taking a selfie together during the talks.
During the summit, Xi told Lee that “three feet of ice does not melt in a single day, and fruit falls naturally when it ripens,” possibly signaling a gradual easing of restrictions on Korean cultural content. Both sides have said exchanges will be expanded step by step, starting with mutually acceptable areas.
The upcoming talks are also expected to touch on key pending maritime issues, including concerns over China’s steel structures built in overlapping waters of the Yellow Sea. Seoul has raised questions over the installations, citing potential implications for maritime jurisdiction and regional stability. At their summit held in Beijing earlier this month, Lee and Xi vowed to continue “constructive consultations” on the matter, with China indicating its intention to move support facilities installed near a deep-sea aquaculture structure.
Director of national security Wi Sung-lac also told reporters after the summit that he had “cautious expectations that progress could be made,” referring to the Yellow Sea installations, raising the possibility that the upcoming talks could yield more concrete outcomes.