US lawmaker urges vigilance over South Korea-China ties

Moolenaar cited deepening leader-level relations between Seoul and Beijing, South Korean semiconductor investment in China, and "unfair" treatment of U.S. firms in Korea compared with Chinese rivals. He portrayed South Korea as a "major American ally" but pointed out the "potential for frictions to develop into a structural shift in Seoul's alignment."

He expressed concerns over what he called the "unprecedented" pace of leader-level engagement between Seoul and Beijing, noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping visited South Korea for the first time in 11 years last year, and that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visited China this year, the first presidential visit since 2019. The chairman also pointed to the "widening gulf" between South Korea and the U.S., claiming that Seoul had "effectively ruled out" supporting a regional response to any Chinese aggression against Taiwan. He cited Lee's related campaign remark in 2024: "What does it matter to us what happens in the Taiwan Strait?"

Moolenaar called for a State Department briefing on developments in South Korea-China relations by Oct. 31. The report also noted signs of tension between Seoul and Washington, as U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration about South Korea's perceived lack of support over the Iran war.