South Korean social media app accessible in China after 11 years

South Korean social media app KakaoTalk is accessible in China after 11 years, the Chosun Daily reported on Wednesday.

It has been 11 years since the Chinese government blocked access to KakaoTalk, while the company said it has not received any notice from Beijing regarding the latest development.

The development came following a recent summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday in South Korea's southeastern city of Gyeongju on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

It was Xi's first visit to South Korea in 11 years.

As of Wednesday, connecting to KakaoTalk reportedly allowed users to send messages, images, and videos, without the need for a virtual private network.

KakaoTalk was blocked in China in July 2014 to prevent the alleged circulation of "terrorism-related" information, the Seoul-based daily reported.

However, it remains to be confirmed if the block has been permanently lifted.

Notably, Xi gifted two Xiaomi smartphones and traditional Chinese calligraphy tools to Lee during the trip.

"Is the line secure?" Lee quipped in a lighter vein, after touching the phone. After listening to the interpreter, Xi quickly replied: "You can check if there is a backdoor."

Observers noted that Xi told Lee the Xiaomi phones had Korean-made screens, thus signaling the need for bilateral cooperation.

Xi last visited South Korea in 2014 under the then-conservative President Park Geun-hye, when bilateral ties were at their "peak."

Ties between Beijing and Seoul soured in 2017 after the US deployed its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system in South Korea.

China and South Korea formally established diplomatic relations in August 1992. The bilateral trade volume reached $267.6 billion in 2024.