THE WORLD, CONNECTED
DIRECTIONAL RELATIONSHIP · 2026

China → South Korea

This score represents China's relationship toward South Korea. The reverse direction is calculated separately and shown alongside it.

CHN → KOR+18Cooperative80% evidence confidenceBroad sourced evidence
KOR → CHN+21Cooperative3-point gap · not analytically meaningful
SIX-COMPONENT MODEL

Current component scores

Component values run from −100 to +100 and are combined with the published weights.

Security0

2 documented factors produce the 0 security assessment.

Why this score?
  1. -0.1THAAD dispute strains bilateral relations
    Active event · 2017

    The official consultation record acknowledges serious Chinese security concerns and the need to restore exchanges after the deployment dispute.

  2. +0Strategic communication and exchanges resume
    Active event · 2017

    Consultations and the presidential state visit restore high-level communication while leaving the THAAD disagreement unresolved.

Coverage gap: The reviewed 2015 record documented regional-security coordination but not a frozen-v1 alliance, rivalry or operational guardrail rule.

Diplomacy+65

5 documented factors produce the +65 diplomacy assessment.

Why this score?
  1. +20The presidents reviewed and expanded the strategic cooperative partnership
    Baseline rule · 2015

    The presidents reviewed and expanded the strategic cooperative partnership.

  2. +10Leader, governmental and regional-policy channels maintained regular coordination
    Baseline rule · 2015

    Leader, governmental and regional-policy channels maintained regular coordination.

  3. +35Both governments reaffirmed a strategic cooperative partnership
    Baseline rule · 2015

    Both governments reaffirmed a strategic cooperative partnership.

  4. -0.1THAAD dispute strains bilateral relations
    Active event · 2017

    The official consultation record acknowledges serious Chinese security concerns and the need to restore exchanges after the deployment dispute.

  5. +0Strategic communication and exchanges resume
    Active event · 2017

    Consultations and the presidential state visit restore high-level communication while leaving the THAAD disagreement unresolved.

Economic+20

2 documented factors produce the +20 economic assessment.

Why this score?
  1. +35Bilateral trade threshold
    Baseline rule · 2015

    Reported trade activates the absolute methodology route using the latest observation available for this year.

  2. -15Annual methodology 1.1 recalculation
    Annual recalculation · 2026

    The current component replaces the 2015 quantitative threshold or time-bounded structural package with the evidence applicable in the selected year.

Disputes0

No reviewed evidence met this component’s scoring threshold.

Why this score?

The model starts every component at zero. No documented condition or active event currently changes this one.

Coverage gap: Maritime delimitation remained under negotiation, so neither the settled-order nor unresolved-territorial-dispute rule was activated.

Societal+20

3 documented factors produce the +20 societal assessment.

Why this score?
  1. +20Official records documented expanding cultural and people-to-people exchange
    Baseline rule · 2015

    Official records documented expanding cultural and people-to-people exchange.

  2. -0THAAD dispute strains bilateral relations
    Active event · 2017

    The official consultation record acknowledges serious Chinese security concerns and the need to restore exchanges after the deployment dispute.

  3. +0Strategic communication and exchanges resume
    Active event · 2017

    Consultations and the presidential state visit restore high-level communication while leaving the THAAD disagreement unresolved.

CHANGE SINCE 2015

+21 in 2015 → +18 in 2026

The change is generated from sourced events and frozen scoring rules, not retrospective editorial adjustment.

ACTIVE EVIDENCE

Events affecting the current score

0

THAAD dispute strains bilateral relations

The official consultation record acknowledges serious Chinese security concerns and the need to restore exchanges after the deployment dispute.

0

Strategic communication and exchanges resume

Consultations and the presidential state visit restore high-level communication while leaving the THAAD disagreement unresolved.

Interpret with care

This analytical score is not an objective fact, endorsement or prediction. Confidence reflects evidence coverage, while incomplete or unavailable observations remain explicit. Differences below 5 points are treated as practical ties rather than a meaningful ranking.

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