Trump may visit Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, skip DMZ

By Park Si-soo

U.S. President Donald Trump was invited to visit the Camp Humphreys military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, during his trip to Korea next month, according to the White House. If he accepts, he might skip his much-anticipated visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the heavily armed narrow strip of land separating the two Koreas, because his schedule here would be too hectic.

Trump will be in South Korea on Nov. 7 and 8, during which he will have a summit with President Moon Jae-in, deliver a speech at the National Assembly and visit the national cemetery in Seoul. Other appointments remain unknown.

In July, the Eighth U.S. Army launched its new headquarters at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek after moving from Yongsan in central Seoul.

Camp Humphreys is Washington’s largest army garrison overseas. U.S. officials have described the camp as a “great example of burden-sharing,” an issue Trump has emphasized to U.S. allies since his campaign days.

There have been reports that Trump’s visit to the DMZ could further intensify tensions with North Korea.