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Rubio to visit S. Korea next week for 1st time as top US diplomat: State Dept.

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By Yonhap
  • Published KST
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Oct. 22. AP-Yonhap

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Oct. 22. AP-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit South Korea next week as part of a multination trip to Asia, the State Department said Wednesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump is set to travel to Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Rubio will travel to Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo and Korea's southeastern city of Gyeongju, the APEC venue, from Sunday through Oct. 30, according to Tommy Pigott, the department's principal deputy spokesperson. He is expected to accompany Trump during Trump's visit to Korea, widely expected to take place next Wednesday and Thursday (local time).

It would mark the top U.S. diplomat's first trip to South Korea since he took office in January.

Pigott said that Rubio's upcoming trip to the region is aimed at advancing peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.

While in Korea, the secretary could meet South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac.

Before his Asia swing, Rubio plans to travel to Israel from Wednesday through Saturday this week to support the implementation of Trump's comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza.