Yoon-Xi Jinping Hold Economic and Security Cooperation Talks at First Summit in 2 Years... Trump Meeting Falls Through (Comprehensive)

APEC as an Opportunity for Korea-China Summit
Korea-US-Japan, Korea-US, and Korea-Japan Summits Also Held
Trump Surprise Meeting Canceled

President Yoon Suk-yeol is boarding Air Force One at Seongnam Seoul Airport on the 14th to depart for the 31st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the 19th G20 Summit. Photo by Yonhap News.

President Yoon Suk-yeol will hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time in two years, coinciding with his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Group of Twenty (G20) summits. President Yoon, who is on a Latin American tour to attend the APEC and G20 summits, plans to meet President Xi at the APEC summit held in Peru to concretize discussions on economic and security cooperation.

The much-anticipated meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during this tour did not materialize. The Trump camp indicated that official meetings with foreign leaders before the inauguration would be difficult, leading to the cancellation of any surprise meetings within the year.

Kim Tae-hyo, First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, held a briefing on the 14th (local time) in Lima, Peru, stating, "President Yoon and President Xi will hold a summit in Peru on the 15th," adding, "This will be the first Korea-China summit in two years since the one held during the G20 summit in Indonesia in November 2022." He explained that the two countries have expanded exchanges and communication following the Korea-Japan-China summit held in Seoul last May.

Korea and China Aim for Strategic Cooperation Amid Close North Korea-Russia Ties

Deputy Director Kim said, "The summit will discuss economic cooperation between the two countries as well as ways to revitalize cultural and human exchanges," and predicted, "They will exchange in-depth views on regional situations, including the Korean Peninsula."

A senior official from the Presidential Office told reporters that day, "We strongly felt the Chinese authorities' strong will to actively seek Korea-China relations," adding, "With the ongoing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, the European situation, the Indo-Pacific region, and Korea-China relations in Northeast Asia are all strategic cooperation points that lie ahead."

He continued, "The dialogue with the leaders will not only cover detailed issues but also take a macro perspective to view challenges from new angles, considering that the U.S. presidential election has ended and all aspects of security and economy."

President Yoon Suk-yeol, attending the 31st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, arrived at the 2nd Air Force Base in Lima, Peru, on the 14th (local time) and is seen greeting as he disembarks from Air Force One, his official aircraft. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

During the APEC summit, President Yoon will attend the Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. This is the first Korea-U.S.-Japan summit in 15 months since the Camp David summit in August last year.

A senior official from the Presidential Office said, "At this Korea-U.S.-Japan summit, we will review the achievements of trilateral cooperation since the Camp David summit last August and present concrete measures to continue this cooperation," adding, "A Korea-U.S. summit is also being planned following the trilateral summit."

The official explained, "The key cooperation agenda among Korea, the U.S., and Japan is security issues," noting, "Who supports Ukraine and how, and issues Japan and we can address together will be discussed for cooperation during the summit." He added, "A major expected outcome of the Korea-U.S.-Japan summit is securing a direction for the stable development of the Camp David mechanism at an institutional level." He further stated, "Since the beginning of the year, our country has proactively proposed various ideas, including the establishment of a Korea-U.S.-Japan secretariat, and after serious discussions with Japan and the U.S., the results are expected to be announced tomorrow."

On the 16th, President Yoon will hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Ahead of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization next year, they plan to discuss cooperation measures to further develop bilateral relations in a future-oriented manner.

Trump Camp: "Official Meetings with Foreign Leaders Before Inauguration Are Difficult"

However, the surprise meeting between President Yoon and President-elect Trump, which was being pursued toward the end of the APEC and G20 summits, did not take place.

A senior official from the Presidential Office told reporters at the press center in Lima, Peru, on the 14th, "The Trump camp stated that official overseas meetings with foreign leaders before the inauguration on January 20 next year would be quite difficult."

The official explained, "It has only been two weeks since the U.S. presidential election ended, and the Trump camp is focusing on internal discussions for key appointments and spending much time on domestic political issues. It is true that many allied countries, including ours, explored the possibility of preliminary meetings."

Kim Tae-hyo, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, is briefing on the 14th (local time) at the Korea Press Center in Lima, Peru, regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol's attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and bilateral meetings held on the occasion of APEC. Photo by Yonhap News.

Regarding future efforts to arrange a meeting with President-elect Trump, the official added, "(As a meeting with Trump during the tour became difficult) the return schedule will remain as planned on the 21st," and "We will continue to discuss the possibility of close contact with President-elect Trump." President Yoon departed on the 14th for his Latin American tour to attend the APEC and G20 summits held in Peru and Brazil, respectively, and arrived in Lima, the capital of Peru, that day.

Initially, the Presidential Office had scheduled President Yoon's Latin American tour from the 14th to the 21st but did not finalize the return date, keeping a slight possibility of a meeting with President-elect Trump in mind.