China-South Korea Relations Strained Over Taiwan Pavilion

China withdrew its participation from the 16th Kwangju Biennale in South Korea in protest over the Taiwan Pavilion being listed under the name "Taiwan Pavilion.” Beijing deemed this naming contrary to the "One China" principle and claimed the organizers had accepted an erroneous application. The incident created a crisis shaking the delicate diplomatic balance between the two countries.

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the decision was made by the biennale organizers, not the government, stated that policies toward Taiwan remain unchanged, and explained that efforts are being made to prevent damage to relations. Biennale President Jun Bum-mo expressed regret over the absence of Chinese artists and stated they did their best to prevent a diplomatic dispute.

The Kwangju Biennale has been held biennially since 1994 and is Asia's most important contemporary art event. The city of Kwangju has become one of the symbols of South Korean democracy through the May 18 Uprising in 1980 and the fall of the military dictatorship in 1987. This year's biennale, under the theme "Change Your Life!", will remain open until mid-November.