Washington, September 6, 2025 — President Donald Trump is quietly preparing to travel to South Korea in late October, where he is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the historic city of Gyeongju. The visit, still in the planning stages, could offer Trump the stage for another high-profile diplomatic encounter — this time with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and possibly with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though the latter remains uncertain.
Three senior Trump administration officials confirmed to CNN that talks are underway to finalize logistics, with the White House viewing the summit as both an economic and strategic opportunity. The president is expected to press for new investment commitments in the United States, echoing his approach during recent visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
“A visit to South Korea is being discussed, which would focus on economic collaboration,” one White House official said, highlighting trade, defense, and civil nuclear cooperation as likely agenda points.
Potential Meeting with Xi Jinping
The possibility of a bilateral Trump–Xi meeting is drawing the most attention. In a call last month, Xi personally invited Trump and his wife to visit China, and Trump extended a reciprocal invitation to Xi, though neither side has set firm dates.
The timing is delicate. Just this week, Xi hosted a dramatic military parade in Beijing, where he welcomed Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — a gathering that Trump derided as a geopolitical alignment against Washington.
“Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Despite the sharp rhetoric, he later described the parade as a “beautiful ceremony” and said his relationships with all three leaders remain “very good.”
The Kim Jong Un Question
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who invited Trump to the summit during bilateral talks last week, suggested the APEC setting could open a window for renewed Trump–Kim engagement. Trump, speaking to reporters, said he was willing to meet the North Korean leader.
“I will do that, and we’ll have talks. He’d like to meet with me,” Trump claimed. “We look forward to meeting with him, and we’ll make relations better.”
Yet analysts note that such a meeting could be complicated by lingering mistrust and fresh controversies. A recent New York Times report about a failed 2019 U.S. Navy SEAL mission that left unarmed North Koreans dead has cast a shadow, with Trump saying he knew “nothing about it.”
Trade Tensions with Beijing
Any meeting with Xi would unfold against the backdrop of ongoing U.S.–China trade disputes. Earlier this year, Trump imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese imports, prompting Beijing to retaliate with 125% levies on U.S. goods. Although Trump temporarily paused a scheduled tariff hike last month via executive order, the standoff remains unresolved.
Officials from both sides have held multiple rounds of talks in Europe, but progress has been slow. The Gyeongju summit could therefore serve as a high-stakes setting for both leaders to test whether a new accommodation is possible or whether relations will remain defined by confrontation.
Strategic Stakes for the Region
Trump’s planned appearance in South Korea highlights the broader geopolitical balancing act in East Asia. For Seoul, hosting both Trump and Xi offers a chance to project influence while positioning itself as a bridge between Washington, Beijing, and Pyongyang. For Trump, the visit carries both economic and political weight — a chance to showcase his deal-making on trade and investment while also reinforcing his role as a central figure in Asia’s security architecture.
With uncertainty surrounding a Kim meeting, strained U.S.–China ties, and Trump’s own unpredictable diplomatic style, the Gyeongju summit is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for U.S. foreign policy in Asia.
