Seoul Risks Crippling Key Industries, Economic Retaliation With Deeper China Ties: Analysts

South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung prepares to receive leaders for a special dinner hosted in honour of U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders at the Hilton Gyeongju hotel in Gyeongju on Oct. 29, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty ImagesAs Chinese leader Xi Jinping prepares for his meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, experts say Seoul is vulnerable to economic coercion, overcapacity, and domestic consumer backlash if the two countries continue on the path of strengthening economic ties.Xi will arrive in South Korea on Oct. 30 for a three-day state visit—his first in 11 years.