Republican committee head urges US State Dept to monitor South Korea-China rapprochement

Republican Rep. John Moolenaar, who leads the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging “heightened” vigilance over the accelerating partnership between Seoul and Beijing. He highlighted unprecedented leader-level exchanges, including President Xi’s first visit to South Korea in 11 years and President Lee Jae Myung’s first trip to China since 2019, as well as South Korean semiconductor projects in China and what he described as unfair treatment of US companies compared with Chinese rivals.

Moolenaar warned that these trends could produce a structural shift in South Korea’s alignment and noted the country’s apparent refusal to support a collective response to potential Chinese moves against Taiwan, referencing a 2024 campaign comment downplaying Taiwan Strait concerns. He also cited recent friction with President Donald Trump over perceived lack of Korean support in the Iran conflict. The chairman asked for a State Department briefing on the issue by Oct. 31.