President Park Geun-hye is considering whether to visit Beijing next month for a high-profile celebration of China's victory over Japan in World War II, a spokesman said Monday.
  

Presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters that Park could make a decision as early as next week.
  

Park's possible visit to China has become a sensitive diplomatic issue as Japan's Kyodo News Service reported that the United States has asked Park to skip China's celebrations.
  

Kyodo reported that Park's visit, if realized, would send a false message to the world that China has cracked the U.S.-South Korea alliance, citing unidentified U.S. government and diplomatic sources.
  

In Washington, the White House told Yonhap News Agency that it "did not tell President Park to not attend the ceremony in China." 
  

China fought on North Korea's side against South Korea and the U.S.-led U.N. forces in the 1950-53 Korean War, but has been economically drawn to South Korea in recent decades.
  

China is South Korea's largest trade partner. Trade volume between South Korea and China stood at $228.9 billion in 2013.
  

In May, Park sent an envoy to Russia for the celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of Russia's victory in World War II. (Yonhap)