South Korean President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a news conference to mark the first anniversary of the December 3 martial law crisis at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, on December 3, 2025. Photo: VCG

When asked by a reporter if South Korea was willing to express support for Japan amid the tensions sparked by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Taiwan remarks during a press conference with foreign media on Wednesday, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said that South Korea could play a mediating role, where possible, to ease rising tensions between China and Japan, stressing that taking sides would only escalate the dispute, Yonhap News Agency reported.

"Taking sides would only escalate the conflict. This applies to both personal relationships and international relations. Rather than taking sides, it's better to seek ways to coexist," Lee said. "Where possible, it is desirable to minimize the conflict and play a role in mediating and coordination," he noted.

Lee made the remarks at the former presidential office to mark the first anniversary of the December 3 martial law incident, according to KBS News.

"The government, born from the 'revolution of light,' will designate December 3 as National Sovereignty Day to honor the great courage and actions of the South Korean people," the president said, according to Yonhap.

Takaichi claimed at a Diet meeting on November 7 that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. She refused to retract her remarks which imply the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Straits.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly urged Takaichi to withdraw her erroneous statements. At a regular press briefing on November 20, spokesperson Mao Ning said that "Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan have fundamentally eroded the political foundation of China-Japan relations and triggered strong outrage and condemnation from the Chinese people. China seriously urges Japan to retract the erroneous remarks, stop making provocations on issues concerning China, take practical steps to admit and correct the wrongdoing, and uphold the political foundation of China-Japan relations."

Global Times