According to Yonhap News on September 3, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated regarding the establishment of a 'Taiwan Pavilion' at the Gwangju Biennale that South Korea respects the basic principle of 'one China', and the related events have nothing to do with the government's stance on Taiwan.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Park Doo-jun emphasized at a regular press conference that the basic position of the South Korean government on the Taiwan issue remains unchanged. The related matters are decisions made in the field of culture and art based on private judgment, and have nothing to do with the South Korean government's stance on the Taiwan issue. He also expressed the hope that this matter will not affect South-Korean-China relations and the exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.
The 1992 Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Ties between South Korea and China stated that “the Government of the Republic of Korea recognizes the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China, and respects the Chinese position that there is only one China, and Taiwan is part of China.” This content has been regarded by successive governments in South Korea as the basis for maintaining the one-China stance. After the establishment of the Lee Jae-myeong government, this stance was also reaffirmed.
On that day, the Chinese curatorial team behind the 16th Gwangju Biennale announced the withdrawal of the exhibition. The Chinese Embassy in South Korea issued a statement stating that "the organizers of the Gwangju Biennale stubbornly adhered to wrong practices, openly agreeing to allow the Chinese Taiwan region to use a name that completely disrepresents their identity for the exhibition. This constitutes a serious violation of the one-China principle and directly damages the political foundation of Sino-Korean relations. The Chinese side firmly opposes this and will never accept such actions."
