US president arrives today for summit with Moon
By Kim Rahn
U.S. President Donald Trump's two-day state visit to South Korea starting today will be a crucial point in addressing North Korea's nuclear and missile ambitions.
The summit will be the third set of bilateral talks between President Moon Jae-in and Trump. It is the first state visit of a U.S. president in 25 years since George H. W. Bush in 1992.
"He comes to South Korea at this time when comprehensive political, economic and military cooperation between the two countries is required amid a serious security situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula," presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said.
"With a warm welcome as a state guest, we hope to use this as an opportunity to take South Korea-U.S. relations beyond the comprehensive alliance and toward a great alliance," Park said, adding this will eventually help bring peace and prosperity to the peninsula.
As Trump earlier said the top issues of his Asia tour are North Korea and trade. His itinerary here is focused on security and the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA).
By visiting his first destination, Camp Humphreys, the newly established headquarters of the Eighth U.S. Army, Trump will be able to witness South Korea's commitment to the alliance.
The post is the largest U.S. Army garrison overseas, and South Korea paid 92 percent of the total cost of $10 billion.
He will meet servicemen of the two countries, have lunch with them and receive a briefing from both armies on the security situation here.
Maximum pressure
A day before his visit, Seoul announced unilateral sanctions against the North by blacklisting 18 individuals allegedly linked to North Korea's financial networks.
During his summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Monday, Trump and Abe also agreed on the need for maximum pressure on Pyongyang.
Describing North Korea's nuclear missile program as "a threat to the civilized world and international peace and stability," Trump said the time for "strategic patience" with the North was over.
Moon and Trump will also discuss the ongoing renegotiations of the KORUS FTA, which Trump claims has caused a trade deficit with his country.
On his second day, Trump will meet workers at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, deliver an address at the National Assembly and pay tribute to fallen soldiers at Seoul National Cemetery before leaving the country.
In the meantime, the South Korean and U.S. militaries are paying keen attention to possible provocations by the North on the occasion of the U.S. president's visit here.
"We haven't seen any signs of imminent provocations yet, but are maintaining a high-level military readiness posture, believing North Korea could make a provocation at anytime," a military official said.
On Thursday, five days before Trump's visit, the U.S. military deployed two B-1B strategic bombers to the peninsula as a warning to the North.
Three nuclear-powered aircraft carriers — USS Ronald Reagan, USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Nimitz — are around the peninsula as well.
Pyongyang has not made any nuclear or missile provocations since Sept. 15 when it launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile into the North Pacific Ocean.
On April 16 when U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited Seoul, the North fired a ballistic missile which exploded right after liftoff.
By Kim Rahn
U.S. President Donald Trump's two-day state visit to South Korea starting today will be a crucial point in addressing North Korea's nuclear and missile ambitions.
The summit will be the third set of bilateral talks between President Moon Jae-in and Trump. It is the first state visit of a U.S. president in 25 years since George H. W. Bush in 1992.
"He comes to South Korea at this time when comprehensive political, economic and military cooperation between the two countries is required amid a serious security situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula," presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said.
"With a warm welcome as a state guest, we hope to use this as an opportunity to take South Korea-U.S. relations beyond the comprehensive alliance and toward a great alliance," Park said, adding this will eventually help bring peace and prosperity to the peninsula.
As Trump earlier said the top issues of his Asia tour are North Korea and trade. His itinerary here is focused on security and the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA).
By visiting his first destination, Camp Humphreys, the newly established headquarters of the Eighth U.S. Army, Trump will be able to witness South Korea's commitment to the alliance.
The post is the largest U.S. Army garrison overseas, and South Korea paid 92 percent of the total cost of $10 billion.
He will meet servicemen of the two countries, have lunch with them and receive a briefing from both armies on the security situation here.
Maximum pressure
Afterward Moon and Trump will have bilateral talks and a joint press conference. Security and defense issues will be on the main agenda, such as how to apply pressure and sanctions to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table.
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A day before his visit, Seoul announced unilateral sanctions against the North by blacklisting 18 individuals allegedly linked to North Korea's financial networks.
During his summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Monday, Trump and Abe also agreed on the need for maximum pressure on Pyongyang.
Describing North Korea's nuclear missile program as "a threat to the civilized world and international peace and stability," Trump said the time for "strategic patience" with the North was over.
Moon and Trump will also discuss the ongoing renegotiations of the KORUS FTA, which Trump claims has caused a trade deficit with his country.
On his second day, Trump will meet workers at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, deliver an address at the National Assembly and pay tribute to fallen soldiers at Seoul National Cemetery before leaving the country.
In the meantime, the South Korean and U.S. militaries are paying keen attention to possible provocations by the North on the occasion of the U.S. president's visit here.
"We haven't seen any signs of imminent provocations yet, but are maintaining a high-level military readiness posture, believing North Korea could make a provocation at anytime," a military official said.
On Thursday, five days before Trump's visit, the U.S. military deployed two B-1B strategic bombers to the peninsula as a warning to the North.
Three nuclear-powered aircraft carriers — USS Ronald Reagan, USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Nimitz — are around the peninsula as well.
Pyongyang has not made any nuclear or missile provocations since Sept. 15 when it launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile into the North Pacific Ocean.
On April 16 when U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited Seoul, the North fired a ballistic missile which exploded right after liftoff.
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