President Yoon’s U.S. Visit: South Korea’s Strategy at APEC and Potential China Summit Spotlighted

Attention to the South Korea-China Summit Outcome
Discussion on Trade Protection and Supply Chain Diversification

Yonhap News

President Yoon Suk Yeol will depart on the 15th to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in San Francisco, USA.

President Yoon will embark on a four-day, two-night visit to the U.S. today, departing from Seoul Airport on Air Force One, the presidential aircraft.

This marks President Yoon’s first participation in APEC, the largest cooperation body in the Asia-Pacific region, which discusses economic growth and prosperity.

At the APEC meeting sessions, President Yoon plans to emphasize South Korea’s contributions to overcoming the climate crisis, the importance of upholding the free trade system, and solidarity among APEC member countries.

He will also explore diversification strategies for supply chains at the India-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) summit meeting, an economic consultative body led by the U.S.

There is also keen interest in whether a summit meeting between South Korea and China will occur during this U.S. visit.

Since the confirmation of a U.S.-China summit meeting during the APEC meeting period, a South Korea-China summit meeting might also take place.

If this occurs, the two countries’ leaders will meet again, one year after last November’s Bali Meeting, potentially adding momentum to restarting the South Korea-Japan-China summit and bilateral exchanges between South Korea and China.

In related news, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lim Soo-seok said at a regular briefing yesterday, “There is no specific plan for the South Korea-China summit yet,” and “Coordination is underway between South Korea and China, but no specific details have been decided yet.”