Trump expected to visit DMZ during Moon summit in Seoul, raising hopes of resumption in denuclearisation talks with Kim

The US president and his South Korean counterpart are seen as likely to travel to the area and issue a joint statement on peace

A Trump visit would also be a political stunt for his domestic audience, allowing him to claim responsibility for inter-Korean stability, an expert says

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South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his American counterpart Donald Trump will have “in-depth” denuclearisation discussions during their summit, according to the presidential Blue House. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:02pm, 24 Jun 2019Updated: 9:29am, 25 Jun 2019

United States President Donald Trump is widely expected to make his first visit to the tense inter-Korean border – following in the footsteps of predecessors such as Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama – when he comes to Seoul for a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in this weekend.

“The two leaders will have in-depth discussions on ways to establish an enduring peace through the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, while further solidifying the South Korea-US alliance,” said presidential Blue House spokeswoman Ko Min-jung.

After attending the G20 summit in Japan on June 28-29, Trump will arrive in Seoul on June 29 and hold talks with Moon the following day. A government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said a potential Trump visit to the demilitarised zone (DMZ) was “being considered”.

“Trump and Moon are likely to travel together to a certain place at the DMZ where they may issue a statement of peace to the North and to the whole world,” said Professor Yang Moo-jin at Seoul’s University of North Korean Studies.

The Geumgang Mountains seen during a tour of the DMZ Peace Trails in Goseong, South Korea. Photo: Bloomberg

He added that the two presidents might express their commitment to working toward the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula as well as the establishment of a new peace regime.