‘Packed schedule’ to keep Donald Trump away from the Korean demilitarised zone
Trump will meet President Moon Jae-in for state dinner, visit the biggest US military base in Asia and stop by the Seoul National Cemetery
Officially at least, the constraints of a packed schedule mean US President Donald Trump will not visit the North-South demilitarised zone (DMZ) which divides a Korean peninsula on a nuclear knife-edge.
While that may be true on one level, the underlying reason lies in attempts to reduce tensions which are running higher than at any time since a 1953 ceasefire agreement ended the military conflict between two nations still technically at war.
Things get even more toxic when an atmosphere still ripe with personal insults – which saw Trump brand North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “rocket man’’ and Kim describe his White House counterpart as a “mentally deranged US dotard” – is added to the mix.
In a one-day, whistle-stop visit, Trump is expected to meet President Moon Jae-in for a state dinner, visit Camp Humphreys – the biggest US military base in Asia – and stop by the Seoul National Cemetery.
Moon’s attempts to calm the storm through negotiations have been rejected and the South Korean president’s voice has been largely ignored by other regional leaders.
Unable to engage the North or lead dialogue with the international community,officials in Seoul are keen to at least contain Trump during his visit.
