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S. Korean president calls for Chinese cooperation for unification of two Koreas

February 6, 2015
South Korean President Park Geun-hye, right, shakes hands with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan during a meeting at the presidential house in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015. Chang arrived in Seoul on Tuesday for talks with South Korean officials on North Korea's nuclear program and ways to boost bilateral military ties. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Lee Jung-hoon)

South Korean President Park Geun-hye, right, shakes hands with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan during a meeting at the presidential house in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015. Chang arrived in Seoul on Tuesday for talks with South Korean officials on North Korea’s nuclear program and ways to boost bilateral military ties. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Lee Jung-hoon)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — South Korean President Park Geun-hye called Wednesday for Chinese cooperation in laying the groundwork for unification between the two Koreas as she met with the Chinese defense chief.

The Korean Peninsula was divided into the capitalistic South and communist North after its liberation from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule. The peninsula is still at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

“It’s time that we need cooperation and interest of the international community, including China, in laying the specific groundwork for unification,” Park said in a meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan at the presidential office.

China is widely believed to have significant leverage over North Korea, which has long been dependent on Chinese diplomatic support and economic aid.

Chang paid a courtesy call on Park during his trip to Seoul for talks with his South Korean counterpart on North Korea’s nuclear program and ways to boost bilateral military ties.