Meeting with Minister Kang Kyung-hwa for Foreign Ministers' Talks, President Moon Jae-in Expected to Pay a Courtesy Call
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is scheduled to visit South Korea in early next month, according to reports on the 23rd. This visit marks Pompeo's first trip to South Korea in two years since October 2018, and about three months after Deputy Secretary Steve Biegun's visit.
Given that the visit is arranged just a month before the U.S. presidential election in November, there is considerable interest in its background. Pompeo is expected to visit South Korea for a one-night, two-day trip shortly after Chuseok, meet with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, for bilateral talks, and possibly pay a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in.
After the visit to South Korea, Pompeo is likely to travel to Japan to meet with newly appointed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "There is currently no confirmed information regarding the visit of U.S. officials."
Regarding Pompeo's visit, which is being arranged at the request of the U.S. side, both countries are reportedly coordinating the timing and schedule. Pompeo is expected to enter South Korea via Osan Air Base using a private plane, following a similar route to Deputy Secretary Biegun's visit in June. Through consultations with quarantine authorities, it is anticipated that the mandatory two-week quarantine will be waived.
Pompeo's visit is expected to attract attention amid ongoing speculation about an "October Surprise" in the U.S. The term "October Surprise" refers to Washington political circles' anticipation that President Trump might use North Korea-U.S. dialogue or a high-level meeting, or achieve a minor breakthrough before the November election to influence the vote. However, diplomatic circles predict that the likelihood of an October Surprise or a surprise contact between Pompeo and North Korea is low.
Instead, amid escalating U.S.-China tensions, the visit is likely aimed at managing the situation by emphasizing the South Korea-U.S. alliance and supporting the Korean Peninsula peace process. Despite the global spread of COVID-19, the U.S. is requesting South Korea's support for the Indo-Pacific strategy, including the Economic Prosperity Network (EPN), which is part of the anti-China bloc. Furthermore, this visit can be seen as a move to counter the expansion of face-to-face contacts between South Korea and China, such as the visit of Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party responsible for foreign affairs, to South Korea in August.
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