Possibility of Trump-Kim meeting during APEC gathering 'very unlikely': presidential official
Third Deputy National Security Adviser Oh Hyun-joo, right, attends a meeting of senior presidential aides at the presidential office in Seoul, July 24. Yonhap
A meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is "very unlikely" to happen during this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering in South Korea, a senior South Korean presidential official said Monday.
Third Deputy National Security Adviser Oh Hyun-joo made the remark amid speculation about the possible meeting as Trump is scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Wednesday for the gathering in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
"There are talks the two could meet, but (I) believe that possibility is very unlikely," Oh said during a meeting with foreign media in Seoul.
Trump earlier said he was open to meeting Kim during his upcoming visit to South Korea in a press briefing aboard Air Force One on Friday.
Oh still noted Seoul is ready to make preparations if such a situation arises, citing the 2019 meeting between Trump and Kim in the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom that she said was finalized in a short period of time.
Meanwhile, Oh said that President Lee Jae Myung does not believe South Korea must participate in a possible meeting between North Korea and the United States.
During the 2019 summit, then President Moon Jae-in joined Trump and Kim at Panmunjom.
When asked whether Washington had requested Seoul to arrange a meeting with North Korea, Oh said there was no such request based on her knowledge.