South Korea's top envoy to Beijing says there's a good chance that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit South Korea next year on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

During a parliamentary audit of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on Wednesday, Ambassador Chung Jae-ho said that when Xi met with President Yoon Suk Yeol in November 2022, the Chinese leader mentioned he would consider visiting South Korea once the COVID-19 pandemic was over.

Chung added that Xi made similar remarks when he met with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in September 2023, emphasizing that although nothing has been confirmed, President Xi has typically participated in APEC summits.

In response to comments from People Power Party(PPP) lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, who suggested that President Yoon's visit to China could serve as a stepping stone for Xi's visit, Chung said it seems "more appropriate for China to fulfill its promise first."

Regarding subtle changes observed in North Korea-China relations, Chung said looking back on the past 70 years of Pyongyang-Beijing ties, there have been times when relations worsened significantly, only to return to normal.