What to know about Biden's trip to South Korea

U.S. President Joe Biden checks his watch after arriving at the White House following an interagency briefing on hurricane preparedness at Joint Base Andrews, in Washington, U.S., May 18, 2022. Reuters-Yonhap

Yoon, Biden to hold summit Saturday afternoon, have dinner with chiefs of top 10 business groups

By Ko Dong-hwan

U.S. President Joe Biden will arrive in South Korea on Friday afternoon for a summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol to reaffirm the Seoul-Washington alliance, renew America's role in keeping security in East Asia and galvanize international trade in the Indo-Pacific region.

Biden's Seoul visit marks the first leg of his visit to the Indo-Pacific region as the U.S president and comes ahead of his follow-up visit to Japan. The visit also comes just 11 days after Yoon was inaugurated ― the shortest period ever for an American president to pay a visit to the Asian country.

"President Biden's decision to visit South Korea prior to his visit to Japan manifests the importance the Biden administration places on South Korea as a key ally and an important strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific," according to Victor Cha and Ellen Kim in their co-written piece, "The First Biden and Yoon Summit," posted on the website of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Yoon will accompany Biden on a visit to a Samsung Electronics chip manufacturing complex right after arriving in Korea on Friday. His visit to the chip manufacturing plant is a symbolic move showing that Biden's first summit with the newly-elected South Korean president will highlight their common slogan that economic security is closely tied to national security.

Biden's visit had been discussed between the two countries as early as when the presidential transition committee was active right after Yoon was elected in March, according to Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the Office of National Security of South Korea.

"The two leaders of the countries will meet each other at least once each day during Biden's stay here," Kim said in a press conference at the presidential office in Seoul's Yongsan District, Wednesday. The two leaders will hold their summit on Saturday.

Deterrence against North Korea, economic security on top of summit agenda

2022-05-19 17:06 | Foreign Affairs

Prior to the summit slated for Saturday afternoon, Biden will visit Seoul National Cemetery to pay tribute to the country's fallen patriots. Arriving at the presidential office at about 1:30 p.m., the two leaders will meet and head to Yoon's office on the fifth floor, where the summit will start with a small-group meeting.

"Issues to be dealt with, in the small-group meeting will include North Korea, what policies should be taken against North Korea, and other geopolitical issues in East Asia," Kim said.

Strengthening economic security

Following the small-group meeting, the two leaders will move to a larger room for a guest reception next to Yoon's office for a more extensive summit, discussing broader subjects, such as economic security, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, and other global issues. The two meetings will altogether last about 90 minutes, according to Kim.

Officials of the two countries will then part and list the agreed terms in documents. At about 4 p.m., they will meet again on the basement level where the two countries will hold a joint press conference and announce the agreed terms. The summit will end after the two leaders answer questions from journalists.

President Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at his office in Seoul's Yongsan District, May 19. Joint Press Corps

The two presidents are then scheduled to meet again for dinner at the National Museum of Korea, which is in the vicinity of the presidential office in Yongsan. Starting at about 7 p.m., the party will see a South Korean delegation consisting of some 50 guests, including Yoon's aides from the presidential office and the Cabinet, representatives from the National Assembly and business leaders in the country, as well as dignitaries from academia, culture and sports.

"Business leaders from Korea's top 10 conglomerates are all on the guest list of our delegates," said Kim.

Those from the United States joining in the dinner party will include about 30 guests, including Biden's key aides, according to Kim.

As North Korea remains a threat to global security by conducting 16 missile tests so far this year, Biden's possible moves concerning the Kim Jong-un regime when he visits Seoul have been a subject of interest for many. Some are pondering whether Biden will visit the demilitarized zone at the inter-Korean border.

Kim said, however, that Biden has no plan to visit the DMZ during this, his latest visit. That issue was also confirmed by the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on May 18.

The U.S. also denied speculation that Biden might meet former South Korean President Moon Jae-in during his visit. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a press briefing at the White House, Wednesday that the U.S. doesn't have a meeting scheduled with Moon at this time.

After leaving Seoul on Sunday, Biden will fly to Japan, where the two countries will hold a summit as well as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue summit to counter China, which will also be joined by Australia and India. There, Biden will also launch the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework initiative, which was first unveiled during the East Asia Summit last October to contain China's growing influence.?