Conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping, Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange co-Chair Park Jin-young about hosting K-pop concert in China should not be misinterpreted, according to committee
Amid rising hopes that Beijing will lift its unofficial Hallyu ban, following South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping's in-person summit on Saturday, the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange remained cautious, stressing it remains too early to draw conclusions.
In a press release Sunday, the committee dismissed news reports that Xi had "responded favorably" to Park Jin-young's suggestion during the Korea-China banquet that Korean artists be allowed to perform in China. Park, the founder of K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment, co-chairs the committee launched last month aimed at promoting exchanges and fostering the sector into a globally competitive industry.
"The conversation between President Xi and Chair Park was simply a polite, formal greeting at an official event," the statement read, noting that the exchange should not be misinterpreted.
This comes after several news outlets reported that Saturday's high-stakes meeting signaled a thaw from the period of diplomatic chill that followed Seoul's 2016 decision to install the US' THAAD missile defense system on its soil. As a form of retaliation, China essentially banned performances on its soil of Hallyu, also known as the Korean Wave, including K-pop -- though it has never officially acknowledged the policy.
In September, a performance by girl group Kep1er at the Fujina Meeting Hall in Fuzhou, in China's Fujian province, was abruptly canceled due to "unavoidable local circumstances," according to the group's management agency WakeOne. A large-scale K-pop joint concert, originally planned for September at a 40,000-seat stadium in the Chinese island province of Hainan, was also canceled, dashing hopes that the neighboring country was relaxing its ban on K-pop.
Calling such interpretations "premature," the committee said it is too early to assume any changes or read too much into the discussion. However, it noted that the friendly and cooperative atmosphere established during the summit could help pave the way for more cultural exchanges between the countries in the future.
In a separate press briefing Saturday following the Korea-China summit, national security adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters that the two countries had agreed on the importance of promoting cultural exchange.
"(The two countries) discussed the Hallyu ban. Both sides agreed on the importance of promoting cultural exchange, expanding cultural cooperation and collaborating on content. Still, some progress was made and these issues can be further coordinated through practical, working-level discussions," the top security adviser explained.
In addition, Rep. Kim Young-bae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said in a Facebook post Saturday that Xi had "responded positively" to the idea of holding a K-pop concert in Beijing.
"President Lee, President Xi and committee Chair Park briefly spoke, and Xi responded positively to the suggestion of holding a large-scale performance in Beijing, even calling over China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi to take action regarding the proposal," the lawmaker wrote, calling it "surprising news."
"I hope this could mark the moment not just for lifting the Hallyu ban, but for opening the door to a full-scale expansion (to China)," the lawmaker further wrote.
junheee@heraldcorp.com
