Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, right, shakes hands with Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing on Thursday to discuss bilateral relations and issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting at the ministry's headquarters in Seoul, Cho highlighted the steady development of Korea-China relations through positive exchanges over the years. He called for continued close cooperation between the two countries to achieve more practical and fruitful outcomes this year.

"We have seen steady growth in bilateral ties through positive engagements," Cho said. "I hope that both nations can achieve more tangible and meaningful results through even closer cooperation."

Cho also expressed expectations that the Chinese Embassy in Korea, under Dai's leadership, will play a vital role bridging the two countries in various fields.

One key topic discussed was the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled to be held in Gyeongju later this year. Cho emphasized the importance of close communication to ensure successful preparations for the summit.

Dai pledged full cooperation in preparing for the APEC summit and vowed to work toward further advancing bilateral relations across various sectors.

"China is committed to fostering stronger ties with Korea and ensuring the success of important regional events like the APEC summit," Dai said.

Amid growing geopolitical complexities surrounding the Korean Peninsula, Cho underscored the need for continued strategic communication between Seoul and Beijing to safeguard peace and stability.

"Given the increasingly complex situation on the Korean Peninsula, it is essential for Korea and China to maintain strategic communication to uphold peace and stability," Cho said, urging China to play a constructive role in resolving regional issues.

Dai agreed, highlighting the shared interest of both countries in maintaining peace on the peninsula. He reaffirmed China's commitment to constructive engagement.

"China will continue to play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," Dai said.