The Lee Jae-myung administration has decided to standardize the official order of listing the three Northeast Asian countries as Korea·China·Japan (Korea·China·Japan). It is seen as an intention to end wasteful disputes that arose from the mixed use of the Korea·Japan·China and Korea·China·Japan labels during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

An official from the presidential office said on the 16th, “We have decided to unify the order of listing the three Northeast Asian countries as Korea·China·Japan,” adding, “This is aimed at correcting problems in the abnormal ideology-driven diplomacy of a past government.”

Before the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, Korea·China·Japan was the common way to list the three Northeast Asian countries. The trilateral summit among the three was sometimes called the Korea·Japan·China summit depending on the rotation of hosts, but in general, when referring to diplomacy among the three, Korea·China·Japan functioned as a de facto proper noun.

In the National Security Strategy released in June 2023, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration listed neighboring East Asian countries in the order Japan, China. Under the Park Geun-hye·Moon Jae-in administrations, it had been described in the order China, Japan. At the time, a senior presidential office official explained, “The standard is to place the slightly closer country first.” After former President Yoon attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in September 2023, the Korea·Japan·China order became fixed.

The presidential office said that, since unnecessary controversy had been repeatedly stirred over the way the three countries were listed under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, it would revert to the original. An official from the presidential office said, “There has been criticism that the mixed use of labels by the previous government led to wasteful debate,” and added, “We intend to standardize on the label used by the largest number of people to eliminate unnecessary controversy.”

In addition, it is interpreted as reflecting a willingness to restore relations with China that deteriorated under the previous administration. After holding a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Gyeongju on the 1st, President Lee said, “Korea·China relations have been fully restored, and as strategic cooperative partners, we have once again set out together on a path of pragmatism and mutual benefit.”

On the 14th, President Lee also announced a Korea·United States tariff·security negotiations Joint Fact Sheet (joint explanatory document) that included issues, such as the introduction of a nuclear-powered (atomic-powered) submarine, to which China could react sensitively, and he stressed, “Through steady dialogue with China, we will unwaveringly continue the path toward advancing bilateral relations.”