Will Kim Jong-un be invited to APEC Summit in S. Korea?

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un appear together before a meeting in the Demilitarized Zone at the truce village of Panmunjom in Korea, June 30, 2019. AFP-Yonhap

South Korea is not ruling out the possibility of extending an invitation to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, scheduled for late October in the southeastern city of Gyeongju. The move could signal a notable diplomatic overture amid ongoing regional tensions.

While North Korea is not one of APEC’s 21 member economies, the host nation, in this case South Korea, holds the authority to invite nonmember nations for observer participation.

On Thursday, the presidential office addressed media speculation regarding a potential invitation to Pyongyang. Officials clarified that the idea has not yet been formally discussed, but they acknowledged that inviting nonmember nations remains entirely within the chair country's prerogative, leaving open the door for future diplomatic considerations.

“According to precedent, host nations are permitted to invite nonmember leaders for informal talks on the sidelines of the APEC Summit,” a presidential official said. “The APEC Summit should serve as a platform to garner international support for peace on the Korean Peninsula,” the official added, reflecting the presidential office's apparent openness to engaging with Pyongyang.

Still, the official emphasized, “There are currently no discussions underway regarding an invitation to North Korea,” indicating that while the idea has been floated, it remains in a highly preliminary stage.

South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed a similarly cautious stance on the matter.

"Any invitation to North Korea would require consultation with APEC member economies, and no such discussions are currently taking place within APEC,” the official said.

But the ministry stopped short of ruling out the idea entirely.

"This year’s potential invitations to nonmember states are being reviewed based on a range of factors, including APEC’s core objectives, this year’s themes and bilateral relations with prospective invitees," the official added, mirroring the presidential office’s careful yet open approach.

Chung Dong-young, nominee for unification minister, answers questions posed by lawmakers during his confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly in Seoul, July 14. Yonhap

A Unification Ministry official also noted that, while no formal discussions are currently underway regarding a potential invitation, such a move remains possible at the discretion of the host nation, South Korea — remarks that effectively keep the door open.

During a parliamentary confirmation hearing earlier this month, Unification Minister nominee Chung Dong-young struck an optimistic tone when asked whether he had considered inviting Kim Jong-un to the summit.

"Given the high possibility of U.S. President Donald Trump attending, Kim Jong-un's participation could significantly increase the chances of a Pyongyang-Washington summit," Chung said.

He added that the South Korean government, along with both the ruling and opposition parties, would make every effort to turn the global event into a platform for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Chung previously attempted to invite then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to the 2005 APEC Summit in Busan.

However, given the current lack of communication channels between the two Koreas and Pyongyang's apparent reluctance to engage with both Seoul and Washington since its military partnership with Russia, the likelihood of Kim attending the upcoming APEC Summit in Gyeongju is said to be slim.

As the host, President Lee Jae Myung sent formal invitation letters for the APEC Summit in Gyeongju to the 20 other member economies on July 15.