The White House on Thursday said South Korean President Moon Jae-in will visit President Biden on May 21, making him the second foreign dignitary to enjoy an in-person summit amid the pandemic.
“President Moon’s visit will highlight the ironclad alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea, and the broad and deep ties between our governments, people, and economies. President Biden looks forward to working with President Moon to further strengthen our alliance and expand our close cooperation,” Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
Mr. Biden hosted Japanese Prime Minster Yoshihide Suga earlier this month. It was the first in-person visit by a foreign leader as Mr. Biden holds a series of virtual meetings due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Mr. Moon has staked his tenure on improving relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a process that began under former President Donald Trump but did not yield a breakthrough in terms of denuclearization or unification of the Korean peninsula.
The South Korean leader wants to move the ball at his White House visit next month.
”We hope that the summit, scheduled for late May, will further strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance and serve as an opportunity to closely coordinate North Korea policy and establish a direction for development,” Mr. Moon said earlier this week, according to United Press International.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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