Meeting this afternoon in Gyeongju… Trump, morning state visit to Korea [Comprehensive]

Shortest-ever mutual visits between heads of state

Attention on tariff negotiation discussions

President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump will hold their second Korea-U.S. summit on the afternoon of the 29th in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the host city of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' meeting. President Lee is scheduled to welcome President Trump at the National Gyeongju Museum.

Before the summit, there will be signing of the guestbook, a commemorative photo, an official welcoming ceremony, and social events.

The presidential office will present President Trump, who is visiting in the form of a state visit, with a specially made replica of a gold crown and will also award him the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea's highest order.

President Trump will then, guided by the Korean government, view the Silla gold crown exhibition set up at the Gyeongju Museum and deepen his rapport with President Lee.

Afterwards, the Korea-U.S. summit, attended by the two heads of state and key government officials from both countries, will formally begin with a luncheon.

This meeting comes about two months after the first summit held in late August in Washington, D.C., and, according to the presidential office, marks the shortest-ever reciprocal visits between Korean and U.S. leaders.

President Lee arrived in Gyeongju the previous day in his capacity as APEC chair, and President Trump will enter Korea after completing his visit to Japan that morning.

In particular, attention is focused on discussions at this meeting over major bilateral issues such as tariff negotiations and the modernization of the Korea-U.S. alliance.

Regarding the tariff negotiations, focus is on whether the leaders can narrow differences through talks over the management of $350 billion in U.S.-bound investments and the issue of profit sharing, as the two countries have been deadlocked for a long time.

However, within the presidential office, cautious views carry weight that, given the sharp differences between the two countries' positions, reaching a final agreement at this meeting is unlikely.

Meanwhile, President Lee will deliver a special speech at the opening ceremony of the APEC CEO Summit before his meeting with President Trump.

In President Trump's case, after meeting President Lee that day, he will attend the world-watched U.S.-China summit — a 'big event' — the following day on the 30th.

The global market is also watching whether President Trump will have a 'surprise meeting' with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during this visit to Korea.

Min-Kyung Shin, Hankyung.com reporter radio@hankyung.com