Seoul urged to 'pull thorn' that hurts ties

Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Seoul to work with Beijing to "pull out the thorn" hurting their relations amid the two nations' efforts to improve ties jeopardized by the deployment of a US missile defense system.

The Republic of Korea's new government, led by President Moon Jae-in, dispatched a special envoy to visit China last week immediately after Moon took office, which Wang said showed the country's desire to improve ties with China.

Unlike its predecessor, the ROK's new government wants to face the problems that affect Sino-ROK relations, rather than evade them, Wang said in a news release during his visit to the West African country of Cote d'Ivoire.