Korean Embassy in China - Address & Contact

Entry requirements may change without notice. Always check the latest travel advisories on the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs website before traveling.

Korea and China normalized diplomatic relations in August 1992, ending four decades of estrangement. The relationship grew rapidly in trade and investment through the 2000s and 2010s. However, the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system in 2016 triggered severe Chinese economic retaliation — restricting Korean tourism, limiting Korean cultural exports, and pressuring Korean businesses in China. Relations have partially stabilized since, but the THAAD issue and broader US-China competition continue to create strategic uncertainties for Korea.

China remains Korea's top trading partner by a wide margin. In 2023, Korean exports to China totaled approximately $124 billion (semiconductors, displays, petrochemicals, and machinery), while imports from China reached about $143 billion (electronics, machinery, and chemicals). Korea ran a rare trade deficit with China in 2023 — a structural shift driven by China's rising semiconductor and electric vehicle competitiveness. Korean cumulative investment in China exceeds $80 billion.