President Lee Jae-myung is not expected to attend the Chinese Victory Day event scheduled for September.
According to political circles on the 18th, the presidential office has decided that President Lee Jae-myung will not attend the Chinese Victory Day event in September.
China has reportedly invited President Lee to the '80th Anniversary Celebration of the Victory in the Anti-Japanese War and the Anti-Fascist War (Victory Day)' to be held in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, on September 3.
The presidential office had previously stated regarding the attendance at the Victory Day event that 'Korea and China are in communication', but it has been reported that the decision has shifted toward non-attendance due to concerns over the impact on Korea-U.S. relations.
Meanwhile, some in the ruling party are discussing the possibility of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik visiting China instead. This would help avoid concerns over the deterioration of Korea-U.S. relations while also showing respect to China.
On the same day, Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung stated during a briefing regarding Speaker Woo's possible attendance at the Victory Day event that 'it is a matter for the National Assembly Speaker to decide, and it is not the presidential office’s place to permit or inform him.'