▲ National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac briefs on the government's response to crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia during a meeting with reporters at the presidential office in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2025. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) presidential office-Trump

(LEAD) Trump expected to visit S. Korea on Oct. 29-30 for APEC: security adviser

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, comments from 5th para)

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to arrive in South Korea on Oct. 29 and stay until Oct. 30 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Thursday.

President Lee Jae Myung is expected to hold summit talks with Trump during the visit, Wi told reporters.

"President Trump is expected to arrive on Oct. 29 and stay until Oct. 30," Wi said. "A Korea-U.S. summit is expected to take place around that time, and if a U.S.-China summit is arranged, it could also be held during his stay."

If confirmed, Trump is expected to attend ministerial and business leaders' meetings to be held ahead of the APEC summit slated for Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

When asked whether Trump could meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to South Korea, Wi said he was unaware of such a possibility, calling it a matter between Washington and Pyongyang.

"We are not aware of any such developments yet," he added.

On the possibility of Trump's summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, Wi said the meeting could take place during the leaders' stay in the country "if it happens" but declined to elaborate further.

According to diplomatic sources, Xi is expected to visit South Korea on Oct. 30 and hold summit talks with Lee on the first day of his visit.

As senior South Korean officials are scheduled to meet U.S. negotiators in Washington this week to iron out details of Seoul's US$350 billion investment pledge, Wi said both sides share a consensus on the need to make progress before the Lee-Trump summit in South Korea.

Their visit comes amid growing expectations for an agreement after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington is about to "finish up" trade negotiations with Seoul.

On Seoul's request for a currency swap arrangement to cushion potential market impacts from the large-scale investment, Wi struck a cautious tone, saying there has been "no progress" in discussions over whether the scope of a swap would be limited or unlimited.

When asked if the U.S. could provide such an arrangement on Wednesday, Bessent avoided giving a direct answer, saying the Federal Reserve handles the currency swap matters, not the Treasury Department.

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