Kuala lumpur: South Korea has no information yet on a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, but will be prepared should the possibility arise. Wi, accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his trip to Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, made the remarks after Trump expressed openness to meeting Kim during his visit to South Korea this week if the North Korean leader is willing.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Wi stated that the information available to South Korea is no different from the public news reports. “The information we have is no different from what you already know. We’ve only seen the news reports as well,” Wi told reporters in Kuala Lumpur. “But we are prepared for any scenario.”
Trump is scheduled for a state visit to South Korea on Wednesday and Thursday, coinciding with the APEC summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju. This visit comes after Trump’s last meeting with Kim at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019, marking their third in-person meeting following earlier summits in Singapore and Hanoi.
Wi mentioned that President Lee is not scheduled to meet Trump in Kuala Lumpur, as their official summit is planned for South Korea on Wednesday. However, he left open the possibility of a brief encounter on the margins of Monday’s ASEAN summit.
During the ASEAN summit, President Lee will present Seoul’s peace initiatives for the Korean Peninsula, aiming to garner support from the 10-member regional bloc. “We are discussing our overall North Korea policy with ASEAN and working to draw support for it,” Wi said, adding that a joint declaration on Korean Peninsula issues is not being ruled out.
Since assuming office in June, President Lee has reached out to North Korea, though his dialogue offers have been met with repeated rejections from Pyongyang. At this year’s gathering, South Korea will also present its vision to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) established last year, aiming to enhance cooperation with ASEAN.
Lee will unveil the “CSP vision,” positioning ASEAN as a partner in fostering growth, innovation, and regional stability. “The upcoming summit is expected to serve as the debut stage showcasing the Lee administration’s emphasis on relations with ASEAN,” Wi said.
On Monday, Lee will participate in the ASEAN Plus Three summit, marking his first in-person meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. These meetings are expected to be brief, as Lee plans to hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the APEC summit, while arrangements are being made for a formal meeting with Takaichi.