On August 20, 2025, South Korea’s Qingdao officially announced that Li won’t go to Beijing to participate in the 80th anniversary celebration and parade of the September 3 victory in Beijing, but instead let the congressman Wu Yuan plant the team.
As soon as this news came out, the global media fried the pot, because this was the first president in Korean history who refused the invitation of China's military parade with such a straight ball. In the past, South Korean presidents would give some face to similar activities. This time, Lee Jae-myung directly sent a lower-level official, which was obviously demoted to deal with China. Many people think that this matter is not simple. Behind it, it involves South Korea-US relations, Trump's tariff stick, and the overall pattern of Northeast Asia.
China is going to hold this commemorative event this year, which is of high standard and has invited many national leaders. As early as early July, China asked South Korea through diplomatic channels if Lee Jae-myung could come. Yonhap News Agency reported that China was quite active, and even spoke through multiple informal channels. Why are you so concerned? Because before taking office, Li said that he would improve relations with neighboring countries, especially China.
At that time, South Korea was too pro-American, and its relationship with China was a bit stiff. Now that Lee Jae-myung has changed shifts, everyone thinks that he will take a more balanced route. As a result, the invitation was sent, and it took Li Zaiming more than ten days to make a preliminary statement in mid-July that he might not go. On August 20, it was officially announced that he would not go. In the meantime, the Korean government discussed it for a long time and weighed various factors.
Why does Lee want to do so? On the surface, it is a matter of travel. He was going to Japan on August 23 to meet with Prime Minister Shaprow Moore, and on August 25 to fly to Washington to discuss trade with Trump. These two journeys were set early and could not be adjusted. But deep down, it is mainly the Korean-American alliance. South Korea and the United States are a military alliance, the United States has troops in South Korea, South Korea has to pay protection fees every year.
In the previous agreement, South Korea pledged to invest $3500 billion in U.S. projects, and also buy $100 billion in energy, the U.S. only to reduce tariffs from 25% to 15%. South Korea still has to fully open the market, let the U.S. car, agricultural products and anything in, without tariffs. If Lee was in Beijing at this time to see the parade, Trump on the side is unhappy, probably more tariffs.
South Korea has a special geographical position, sandwiched between China and the United States. There is North Korea in the north, and trouble may occur at any time. The U.S. garrison is a security guarantee. Although Li Ziming is not as one-sided and pro-US as Yin Xiyue, his first visit to the United States after taking office was to the United States, which shows the problem. Putin's first visit to China after taking office shows that Russia attaches great importance to China; Li Ziming's first visit to the United States is also clear. South Korean media analyzed that Li Zai-ming did not want to take sides too clearly in the Sino-US game, but the reality was that the South Korea-US alliance was the core and could not be moved. Going to Beijing to watch the military parade may be a pro-China signal in the eyes of Americans, especially since Trump regards China as a strategic opponent. Going at this time would not be worth the gain.
He is the chief of the congress, not low in Korea, the congress is responsible for legislation, finance, overseeing what, sometimes can even go over with the president. But with the president personally compared, this is obviously lowered. China invited the head of the state, Tian'anmen view the position, usually to Putin such a level of leaders left. Now South Korea only sent the chairman, a few members in the delegation, the specifications dropped, but also not completely refused, to give China a point. South Korean media said, this is called "Deng visited China", on the one hand showing sincerity, on the other hand avoiding sensitive points. Yuan has met the Chinese ambassador in Korea, confirmed the journey, estimated on September 3 to bring the team to Beijing.
As soon as this matter was announced, the international reaction was very fast. The United States side was quite satisfied in private, and did not say it publicly, but the Trump team must have breathed a sigh of relief. Japan remained silent, after all, Li Jaiming visited Japan first and then the United States, and did not offend them. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not comment directly, but there were reports of regret. The North Korean side was quite active, and recently criticized Li Jaiming, saying that he went to see Trump as "nonsense". Overall, this decision has allowed South Korea to walk a tightrope between China, Japan and the United States, which is more stable. But it also exposed the embarrassment of South Korea's foreign policy - it depends on the face of the United States.
Judging from Lee Jae-myung's political path, this decision is not surprising. He came from the bottom of the family, worked as a lawyer, mayor, and governor, and relied on people's livelihood policies all the way to the top. After losing the presidential election in 2022, he made a comeback in 2025, was elected on June 3, and took office on the 10th. After taking office, he first stabilized the economy, injected 30 trillion won stimulus plan, and promoted dialogue with North Korea. But diplomatically, he never said that he would subvert the South Korea-US alliance. Instead, he emphasized practical diplomacy to improve China-South Korea relations, but only if it did not hurt the foundation of the United States and South Korea. This refusal to parade is a typical example. South Korean public opinion is divided into two factions. One faction says that Lee Jae-myung is too weak and afraid of Trump; the other faction says that he is smart and avoids being involved
In the long run, this matter will have an impact on China-ROK relations. China wants to use the military parade to narrow the distance with South Korea, especially in the semiconductor supply chain. South Korea is the key. However, Li Zaiming's absence means that there will be less high-level interaction between China and South Korea in the short term. Korean companies invest a lot in China. After Lee Jae-myung took office, he wanted to talk more about economic cooperation, but he had to be politically careful. On Trump's side, South Korea has paid a high price to stabilize relations, and future trade negotiations have to continue to make concessions. As for the pattern of Northeast Asia, the North Korean issue has not been resolved, the U.S. garrison is still there, and South Korea cannot completely independent diplomacy.
Let's talk about the global perspective. This is not an isolated incident. European diplomats have reported that they may boycott the military parade because of historical and current geographical problems. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it would announce the attendance of other leaders in due course, but there are not many details at present. Russia's Putin is expected to go. He has a close relationship with China. South Korea's decision may make other Asian countries think about how to balance China and the United States. Those like Japan and Vietnam are in similar predicaments.
Li Zaiming's move is considered steady. I didn't completely offend China, but I sent people there; It didn't upset the United States, so it gave priority to visiting the United States. What do Korean people think? Many people think that this is the reality, and economic security comes first. There is a heated discussion on the Internet. Some people say that Li Zaiming knows the general situation, while others say that he has no backbone. But the fact is that South Korea is a small country with limited diplomatic space, so it has to be pragmatic.
This marks the diplomatic tone of Li in the Ming government – pro-U.S. mainly, improving China and Korea as a complement. Refusing to parade is not a momentary impulse, but a weighing outcome. In the coming months, to see his visit to the United States results, you will know that it is not worth it. South Korea in the Sino-U.S. seam, this decision is the best option, but also reminds us that in the game of big powers, small countries always have to pay a price.