US President Donald Trump plans to visit the Republic of Korea but may skip the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, Yonhap news agency reported, citing sources in South Korean government circles.
Discussions are currently underway regarding an option in which Trump could meet with the leaders of the Republic of Korea and China but skip the APEC summit in Gyeongju, scheduled for October 31-November 1.
According to the agency, the US president is expected to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, which will be held from October 26 to October 28. Trump will then head to Japan. According to Japanese media, a meeting between the leaders of the United States and Japan is likely to take place on October 28. Seoul expects Trump to arrive in South Korea on October 29.
“As far as we know, Trump will arrive in the country on October 29 and visit Gyeongju. However, the schedule has not been fully finalized; consultations between the Republic of Korea and the United States are ongoing“, a source from the ruling party told the agency. “It is currently unknown when he will leave the country after arriving on October 29“, an unnamed South Korean government official noted. Yonhap acknowledges that Trump's visit could be one-day.
South Korean authorities have commented on the possibility of a meeting between the US president and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. “Currently, the possibility of a face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the United States and North Korea seems unlikely under the current situation,“ a ruling party official said. In recent weeks, South Korean media and experts have speculated that Trump could meet Kim Jong-un again during the APEC summit at the South-North Korean border, as he did in 2019.
“According to current information, Trump will visit the Republic of Korea for a short visit before the main APEC event. Under these circumstances, the chances of successful negotiations have decreased,“ the source concluded.