China has expressed its "deep surprise and dissatisfaction" with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s recent remarks that appeared to implicate Chinese nationals in espionage activities. The remarks, made during a speech on December 12 , were a stark response to growing political uncertainty in South Korea, which has seen its leadership embroiled in a national crisis, as reported by AFP. 

Yoon’s speech, which followed his controversial decision to declare martial law and deploy troops to the South Korean parliament last week, included accusations that Chinese nationals had engaged in espionage by photographing and filming military sites in South Korea. This, according to Yoon, was part of an ongoing effort to enhance China's intelligence-gathering activities in the region.

In his address, Yoon outlined two cases he said involved Chinese nationals. One involved individuals allegedly flying drones to photograph a US aircraft carrier in Busan, while another case involved a man filming South Korea’s National Intelligence Service from a drone. Yoon’s speech focused more on the domestic political strife, blaming the opposition for blocking his attempts to amend anti-spying laws, which he claimed left foreign nationals unpunished for espionage.

China swiftly rebuked these claims. In a statement on December 12, Beijing’s foreign ministry accused Yoon of "groundlessly hyping up so-called Chinese espionage," stating that such comments were not conducive to the "healthy and stable development" of China-South Korea relations. The ministry further criticised the South Korean government for linking internal political issues to China, underscoring the tension between the two countries, which, despite being major trade partners, have long had a fraught political relationship.

This exchange comes at a time when South Korea is facing unprecedented political turmoil. Yoon, whose martial law declaration has sparked widespread protests and calls for his resignation, is also grappling with an impeachment vote. Meanwhile, Beijing’s relations with Seoul are complicated by China's support for North Korea, with whom South Korea is technically still at war. South Korea, in contrast, is a key US ally and hosts a significant American military presence, further intensifying the geopolitical rift.