Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji Passes Away, Spotlight on His Special Ties with South Korea
On the 12th, former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji passed away at the age of 96. Premier Zhu is well known as the figure who led China's economic reforms and is regarded as a key player in significantly advancing South Korea-China relations during his tenure.
In particular, Premier Zhu was famous for his very close relationship with former President Kim Dae-jung. The two leaders maintained such deep trust that Zhu even called Kim "older brother" during their summit meetings. This personal friendship played a major role in bringing South Korea-China relations into a "golden age" at the time.
During his time in office, Premier Zhu strengthened economic cooperation with South Korea and actively promoted diplomatic exchanges. The period of South Korea-China relations under his leadership is considered to have provided an important foundation for the exchanges between the two countries today.
With the news of Premier Zhu's passing, many are once again remembering the special bond he shared with South Korea. The death of a leader who defined an era is serving as an opportunity to look back on the history of the relationship between South Korea and China.