▲ South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) shakes hands with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews near Washington on Aug. 24, 2025, to attend his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. (Yonhap)
▲ South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's top aides -- (from L to R) presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Yong-beom -- attend a press conference at a hotel in Washington on Aug. 25, 2025, following Lee's summit talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) foreign minister-APEC

(LEAD) FM says possibility of U.S.-N. Korea summit at APEC 'very low for now'

(ATTN: UPDATES with nat'l security adviser's remarks; ADDS photo)

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Sunday that the possibility of a U.S.-North Korea summit occurring on the sidelines of a regional forum in South Korea later this year is "very low for now."

Speaking on a KBS news program, Cho was referring to speculation U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at the end of October.

"I can only say that the possibility is very low for now," he said, also adding no APEC invitation has been sent yet to the North Korean leader.

Still, Cho said should such a meeting be held, "it could create the opportunity to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and ultimately achieve North Korea's denuclearization."

The minister also spoke to Kim's planned trip to China this week, saying the North Korean leader was likely seeking opportunities to repair strained ties with Beijing.

"North Korea has grown extremely close to Russia recently, but they probably have learned Russia's limits," he said. "However, they probably already know the limits of (China) as well."

Kim is reportedly set to visit Beijing to attend a military parade on Wednesday marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Appearing on a KBS radio program later in the day, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac also shared his thoughts on the upcoming APEC summit and Trump's possible attendance.

"I think it is highly likely he (Trump) will come because we had many discussions premised on his attendance," he said, referring to last week's summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Trump in Washington.

On whether Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend, Wi left open the possibility, saying Lee's special envoys recently visited Beijing and also had many discussions with the Chinese side premised on Xi's attendance.

Wi, however, expressed skepticism that the South Korean government will formally invite the North Korean leader to the APEC summit.

"I am careful not to say anything that could inflate expectations" of Kim's attendance, he said.

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