When President Lee Jae Myung said that he understood Chinese President Xi Jinping’s remark about “standing on the right side of history” as “the words of Confucius,” he was making a carefully calibrated diplomatic statement rather than a philosophical observation. His comment reveals how South Korea seeks to manage sensitive relations with China without compromising its own national interests or international positioning. President Xi’s phrasing has been interpreted widely as carrying political weight. In recent years, China has used moral and historical language to frame global issues, sometimes implying that other countries should align with China’s vision of world order, particularly in contrast to U.S.-led alliances. Against this backdrop, Xi’s remark raised speculation that China was subtly urging South Korea to distance itself from U.S.-centered cooperation. Lee’s response deliberately defused that interpretation. By describing the remark as “the words of Confucius,” he reframed it as a universal moral teaching rather than a geopolitical directive. Confucius