{"id":2199272,"date":"2022-10-27T10:12:58","date_gmt":"2022-10-27T10:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/koreapro\/?p=2199272"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:11:05","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:11:05","slug":"xi-jinpings-consolidation-of-power-spells-trouble-for-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2022\/10\/xi-jinpings-consolidation-of-power-spells-trouble-for-south-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"Xi Jinping\u2019s consolidation of power spells trouble for South Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"
Xi Jinping is powered-up and ready to take on the U.S.-led international order following the ruling Chinese Communist Party\u2019s Congress, increasing the risk that South Korea gets caught in the middle.<\/span><\/p>\n Xi <\/span>doubled down<\/span><\/a> on signature policies related to Taiwan and competition with the U.S. at the congress. He also packed his country\u2019s top leadership with <\/span>loyalists<\/span><\/a>, eliminating potential resistance toward achieving his goals.<\/span><\/p>\n While South Korea relies on the U.S. military for its security, it also enjoys a profitable relationship with China, its largest trading partner. This puts South Korea in a dilemma on a number of issues, from the economy and North Korea to Taiwan.<\/span><\/p>\n SECURITY > ECONOMY<\/b><\/p>\n Xi mentioned security issues <\/span>far more<\/span><\/a> than the economy in his party congress speech \u2014 the <\/span>first time<\/span><\/a> a Chinese leader has done this since the CCP took power in 1949.<\/span><\/p>\n Insofar as this is an indicator of Xi\u2019s priorities, it could mean that China will be more likely to carry out retaliatory economic measures against South Korea going forward as the Yoon administration bolsters ties with the U.S. This brings back memories of Beijing\u2019s boycotts that did <\/span>billions of dollars in damage<\/span><\/a> over Seoul\u2019s decision to deploy the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n One area of economic cooperation under serious threat is semiconductors, with Xi <\/span>reiterating<\/span><\/a> China\u2019s goal to achieve technological self-reliance at the party congress.<\/span><\/p>\n However, Xi\u2019s drive for greater self-sufficiency comes as the U.S. moves to <\/span>hamper<\/span><\/a> its access to key technology due to national security concerns. Part of this approach means dragging South Korea away from China.<\/span><\/p>\n One of these initiatives is Chip 4, a U.S.-led semiconductor supply chain alliance that includes Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. Seoul stresses that the group isn\u2019t about excluding a <\/span>\u201ccertain country,\u201d<\/span><\/a> but China\u2019s <\/span>opposition<\/span><\/a> to the Chip 4 shows it doesn\u2019t buy that.<\/span><\/p>\n Top South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix secured a <\/span>yearlong exemption<\/span><\/a> from U.S. restrictions. But there are still concerns about the fate of its facilities in China over the long term \u2014 behind the scenes, Samsung Electronics is still fighting for a \u201cwin-win solution.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n