President Moon Jae-In on Monday said that South Korea will not boycott February's Beijing Winter Olympics.
"With regards to the Beijing Olympics on the diplomatic boycott, we have not received a request from any other country, including the United States, to participate in the diplomatic boycott," Moon said in response to a question in Canberra. "We are not currently considering a boycott measure."
Moon is in Australia on a four-day visit marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canberra and Seoul. He answer questions after signing a one-billion-Australian-dollar defence contract with Australia.
The South Korean leader went on to say that his visit to Australia "has nothing to do with our position over China," instead speaking of cooperation on "core minerals and for the hydrogen economy and for the low-carbon emissions technology."
China has lambasted countries for joining a diplomatic boycott of the Olympic Games kicked off by the United States earlier this month. Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand have all joined in, although athletes from all the countries will still attend.
Beijing has come under criticism for alleged human rights abuses in its treatment of Uighurs and Tibetans, its suppression of the democracy movement in Hong Kong and its threats against Taiwan.
