[US-ROK Summit] US President Trump Arrives at Gimhae Airport, Begins Visit to South Korea

Air Force One Lands at Gimhae Airport; Travels to Gyeongju for ROK-US Summit with President Lee This Afternoon

APEC US President Trump's Air Force One Arrives in Korea (Busan=Yonhap News) Reporter Son Hyung-joo = US President Donald Trump's Air Force One, on a state visit to South Korea for the APEC summit, is seen arriving at Busan's Gimhae International Airport on the 29th. 2025.10.29 handbrother@yna.co.kr

US President Donald Trump entered South Korea via Busan on the 29th (local time), commencing his official 1-night, 2-day state visit.

This visit marks President Trump's first since the inauguration of his second administration. It is his third trip to South Korea as a sitting US President, following his visit to Seoul in November 2017 for a ROK-US summit during the first administration, and his visit to Seoul and the Joint Security Area (JSA) in June 2019 for a ROK-US summit. This marks his first state visit in 8 years since his state visit in 2017.

After concluding his visit to Japan, President Trump departed Tokyo and arrived at Gimhae International Airport around 11:32 AM aboard Air Force One, the presidential aircraft.

After being welcomed by key South Korean officials at the airport, he will immediately travel to Gyeongju to officially begin his state visit, including a ROK-US summit.

President Trump is expected to travel to Gyeongju by Marine One, the US presidential helicopter.

Upon arrival in Gyeongju, he plans to meet with global business leaders first.

According to the schedule released by the White House yesterday, President Trump will deliver a keynote speech at the "2025 APEC CEO Summit" luncheon, an official side event of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, in Gyeongju.

The APEC CEO Summit is a forum where APEC leaders and global CEOs gather to discuss global agendas, and this year's event is being hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Following this, President Trump will hold his second ROK-US summit with President Lee Jae-myung over lunch this afternoon.

ROK-US Presidents Met at White House Office in August [Yonhap News File Photo]

Prior to the summit, an official welcoming ceremony and a friendly interaction between the two leaders are scheduled at the Gyeongju National Museum. President Lee plans to present President Trump with a replica of a gold crown and award him the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea's highest honor.

During the subsequent summit, the two leaders are expected to discuss key pending issues such as ROK-US tariff negotiations and alliance modernization.

In particular, regarding ROK-US tariff negotiations, which have seen protracted discussions between the negotiating teams of both countries over the management of US$350 billion in investment funds and profit distribution, attention is focused on whether a dramatic agreement can be reached through direct talks between the leaders.

President Trump is expected to conclude his first day of the visit with an official dinner this evening.

On the following day, the 30th, a "big event" drawing global attention, the ROK-US-China summit, is scheduled. Gimhae Airport is being considered as a potential venue.

This will be the first face-to-face meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping since the start of Trump's second administration. The two leaders will meet again for the first time in approximately 6 years and 4 months since their meeting at the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, in June 2019.

Trump and Xi Jinping Met in Osaka, Japan in June 2019 [AP=Yonhap News File Photo]

The outcome of this ROK-US-China summit, and the conversations between the two leaders regarding trade negotiations, will inevitably have a significant impact on the global economic order, making the results of the meeting a subject of great interest.

The world is also closely watching whether President Trump might have a "surprise meeting" with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un during his visit.

President Trump has expressed his desire to meet with Chairman Kim on several occasions during his current Asian tour.

On the Air Force One en route to Tokyo on the 27th, he told reporters regarding the possibility of a meeting with Chairman Kim, "It would be really great to meet him." Notably, President Trump has also indicated his willingness to extend his planned visit to South Korea (1 night, 2 days) to facilitate a meeting with Chairman Kim, drawing attention.

However, North Korea has not yet responded to President Trump's proactive overtures.

During his visit to South Korea in June 2019, when he was in office during his first term, President Trump visited the Joint Security Area (JSA) and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), where he had a "surprise meeting" with Chairman Kim Jong Un and became the first sitting US President to cross the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and set foot on North Korean soil.

Trump and Kim Jong Un Met at the JSA on June 30, 2019 [Yonhap News File Photo]