Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said the worst diplomatic difficulty the nation may face would be a situation where South Korea is forced to choose between the U.S. and China.

At a forum on Wednesday, Kim spoke on the emergence of China as a powerful nation and the direction of South Korean diplomacy. He said that the situation on the Korean Peninsula was very difficult when China-U.S. relations were strained.

Kim also said that unification will continue to be difficult unless the U.S. and China cooperate. He said that the South Korea-U.S. alliance should serve as a base, and that South Korean relations with China, a strategic cooperative partner, should be developed.

On the North Korean nuclear issue, Kim said talking with North Korea is in itself not difficult. He said however that it is important to provide an opportunity to make the two Koreans conduct dialogue earnestly.