Seoul: U.S. President Donald Trump is anticipated to arrive in South Korea on October 29 and remain until October 30 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, as stated by National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during President Trump’s visit, he is expected to engage in summit talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Wi Sung-lac informed reporters of this development, indicating that a Korea-U.S. summit may take place during this time frame. The possibility of a U.S.-China summit also exists if arrangements are made during Trump’s stay.
If confirmed, President Trump is likely to participate in ministerial and business leaders’ meetings scheduled before the APEC summit, which is set for October 31 to November 1. When questioned about a potential meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Wi stated that he was unaware of any such plans, labeling it a matter between Washington and Pyongyang.
In response to inquiries regarding a potential summit between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, Wi mentioned that such a meeting could occur if circumstances permit but refrained from providing additional details.
According to diplomatic sources, Xi Jinping is expected to visit South Korea on October 30, with plans to hold summit discussions with President Lee on the first day of his visit. This aligns with the ongoing dialogue between senior South Korean officials and U.S. negotiators in Washington to finalize details of Seoul’s US$350 billion investment pledge.
The visit occurs in an atmosphere of heightened anticipation for an agreement, following U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s comments about the near completion of trade negotiations with Seoul. Regarding Seoul’s request for a currency swap arrangement to mitigate potential market impacts stemming from the investment, Wi emphasized that there has been “no progress” in talks about whether the swap would be limited or unlimited. When asked if the U.S. might offer such an arrangement, Bessent declined to provide a direct response, stating that the Federal Reserve, not the Treasury Department, manages currency swap matters.