Ruling party leader to visit China this week

Choo Mi-ae, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party, will travel to Beijing this week to attend an international meeting of political parties and talks with Chinese officials and South Korean residents, her aide said Monday. 

During her four-day visit, which begins Thursday, Choo will attend the meeting, titled the "Communist Party of China in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting," slated to take place Thursday through Sunday.

Some 200 political parties and organizations from over 120 countries have registered for the conference to be held under the main theme "Working Together Towards A Community with A Shared Future for Humanity and A Better World: Responsibilities of Political Parties," Chinese media reported.

Choo Mi-ae, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party, speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Nov. 27, 2017. (Yonhap)

Choo is also set to meet with the chief organizer of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and other officials, as well as South Korean residents in China. It remains unclear yet whether she would be able to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

"In line with the government's diplomacy toward China, Choo will strive to improve ties between South Korea and China and provide diplomatic support for a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear standoff," Park Wan-joo, a party spokesman, told reporters.

Earlier this month, Choo traveled to the United States as part of her diplomatic efforts to strengthen the bilateral alliance and help address pending issues, such as trade and evolving North Korean threats.

Choo also plans to visit Russia next month and Japan early next year. (Yonhap)