By Kim Rahn
President Moon Jae-in will hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in PyeongChang, Feb. 9, ahead of the Winter Olympic Games which will begin the same day, Cheong Wa Dae and the foreign ministry said Friday.
On the eve of the Olympics, Moon will have talks with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence over dinner at Cheong Wa Dae. He will also have a separate meeting with Han Zheng, the No. 7 figure in the Communist Party of China, the same day
Alongside the Games, Moon will have talks with dignitaries from 14 countries who will be attending the Olympics, which will last until Feb. 2, and the Paralympic Games that will run from March 9 to 18.
Cheong Wa Dae said earlier that 26 dignitaries from 21 countries would visit Korea during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Moon will have bilateral talks with Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, Feb. 6, and with Canadian Governor General Julie Payette and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, separately, Feb. 7.
On Feb. 8, he will meet Swiss President Alain Berset and Polish President Andrej Duda, and hold talks over lunch with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. On Feb. 9, as well as with Abe, he plans to have talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in PyeongChang and with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Gangneung over lunch.
More bilateral meetings are planned after the opening ceremony ― with Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis, Feb. 13, with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Feb. 15, and with Slovenian President Borut Pahor over lunch, Feb. 20.
While other dignitaries will make private visits, Steinmeier, Borut Pahor and Guterres will make official visits at Moon’s invitation.
Moon and first lady Kim Jung-sook will take part in the opening ceremony of the International Olympic Committee session in Gangneung, according to the presidential office.
Even for those making private visits, the foreign ministry will provide high-profile protocols, including first-class accommodation, sedans and ceremonial officials.
The government will also operate a special non-stop bullet train between Seoul and PyeongChang for dignitaries attending the opening ceremony, the ministry said.