South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to prioritize restarting dialogue with North Korea during a summit on Monday, but made no public mention about Pyongyang’s denuclearization. 

During their talks in Beijing, Lee urged closer coordination with China toward “realistic and workable alternatives” for peace on the peninsula, framing stability as the prerequisite for regional prosperity and growth. 

The meeting marked the first visit to China by a South Korean president since 2019 and came as Seoul seeks to reset strained ties with its largest trading partner.

Lee described the talks as a turning point