Go master Lee Chang-ho expected to join President Lee on state visit to China

Lee Chang-ho, a Go master widely regarded as a “national treasure” of Korea, is expected to accompany President Lee Jae Myung on a state visit to China early next year.

Go master Lee Chang-ho wins the first round of the 2025 Incrediwear Legend League playoff match held on Nov. 30. [KOREA BADUK ASSOCIATION]

Lee Chang-ho, a Go master widely regarded as a “national treasure” of Korea, is expected to accompany President Lee Jae Myung on a state visit to China early next year.

Multiple diplomatic sources confirmed to the JoongAng Ilbo on Friday that Lee Chang-ho will be part of the presidential delegation.

“Lee Chang-ho’s visit carries symbolic significance, especially as anticipation grows for the lifting of China’s ban on Korean cultural content,” one source said, referring to the restrictions on South Korean pop culture content put in place since 2016. Another source added that the decision also reflects the personal connection between Lee Chang-ho and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Although Beijing has never officially acknowledged the pop culture ban, imposed after South Korea deployed the U.S.-led Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) system in 2016, cultural and people-to-people exchanges with South Korea have faced notable restrictions ever since.

Should a meeting between Lee Chang-ho and President Xi take place during the upcoming visit, it would be their third face-to-face encounter — but the first time on Chinese soil.

Lee Chang-ho was most recently invited to a state dinner with President Xi in Gyeongju last month, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. That was their first reunion in 11 years, reportedly arranged at Xi’s request after he recalled meeting Lee Chang-ho during his first state visit to South Korea in 2014.

President Lee Jae Myung, second from left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, smile as they exchange gifts after their summit meeting on the sidelines of the APEC gathering in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Nov. 1. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

A hand-carved Go board gifted to Chinese President Xi Jinping by Korean President Lee Jae Myung during the APEC gathering in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Nov. 1. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

At a Blue House banquet in July 2014, Xi singled the Go master out, saying, “I may not know everyone here, but there is one person I do know well.” He added, “Lee Chang-ho is very famous in China, and Chinese players have rarely beaten him.”

Go has served as a cultural bridge between South Korea and the Chinese leader. During their summit on Nov. 1, President Lee gifted Xi a hand-carved Go board crafted from premium Chinese torreya wood, valued at 100 million won ($68,000). The presidential office noted at the time that “while former President Park Geun-hye gifted Go stones to Xi in 2014, this board is symbolic of completing the set” — a gesture reflecting hopes for continued cooperation between the world’s leading Go nations.

As Seoul seeks to thaw ties with Beijing, the South Korean government has prioritized low-stakes initiatives in cultural and social sectors, rather than diving headfirst into thornier issues like the Yellow Sea airspace or North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. President Lee’s upcoming trip and potential meeting with Xi are seen as part of that strategy — fostering good will through highly recognized cultural figures.

Go Master Lee Chang-ho speaks during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at the Korea Baduk Association office in Seoul on Jan. 23, 2018. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Since turning professional in 1986, Lee Chang-ho has maintained nearly four decades of dominance in the world of Go. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game and enjoys immense popularity in China, earning him the title of the “original Hallyu star.”

In 2005, he secured South Korea’s victory in the Nongshim Cup by defeating top players from China and Japan in the final match — a moment now remembered as the “Shanghai Victory.” Over the course of his career, Lee has claimed 17 major international titles. He recently surpassed his mentor Cho Hun-hyun with 1,969 career wins, the most in history. Their legendary rivalry was the subject of the film "The Match," released in March.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY PARK HYUN-JU [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]