By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

Journalists from major media outlets in China will visit the Republic of Korea (ROK) from September 15 to 18 as part of the ROK and Chinese Foreign Ministries’ “program for exchange between ROK and Chinese journalists.”

The delegation will be composed of journalists from China’s major media outlets, including Xinhua News Agency, CCTV, People’s Daily, and Global Times.

During their stay in Seoul, the Chinese journalists will attend dinner events hosted by officials from the Foreign Ministry, and visit the Journalists Association of Korea, leading Korean media outlets, and research institutes specializing in China studies.

In Gyeongju, the delegation will attend luncheon and dinner events hosted by Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Gyeongju City officials, and visit the venues where the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will be held.

The “program for exchange between ROK and Chinese journalists” has been conducted by the Foreign Ministries of the two countries since 1995. Since 2012, journalists of the two countries have visited each other’s countries once a year.

The program was suspended in 2019 due to COVID-19 and resumed last year with the visit of Korean journalists to China. This forthcoming visit by Chinese journalists to the ROK marks the first time in six years since 2019.

The upcoming program is expected to deepen Chinese media’s understanding of the ROK’s policy toward China and overall bilateral relations, promote exchanges between journalists of the two countries, and contribute to strengthening friendship and cooperation between the ROK and China, using the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting as a bridge for further cooperation.