National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters Friday that President Lee Jae Myung will hold summit talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on Oct. 29 and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov. 1 in Gyeongju, confirming dates that diplomats had circled for weeks around the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
State visits
Wi said both Trump and Xi will pay state visits to South Korea on the margins of APEC, giving Lee back-to-back audiences with the world’s largest economies on home soil. Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, is also expected to meet Lee during the forum; Wi said scheduling continues.
The presidential office did not disclose venue details for the Trump and Xi meetings, but officials have inspected the Gyeongju National Museum’s new event hall and the Hwabaek International Convention Center as possible sites. Motorcade routes and temporary cell towers are already in place along the coastal highway.
Agenda pressure
Lee’s meeting with Trump arrives as Seoul and Washington negotiate remaining tariff lines tied to Korea’s pledged U.S. investment package. Trade officials said two product categories remain unresolved, without naming them publicly. Wi declined to preview concessions but said “substantive progress” is possible before the leaders sit down.
The Xi meeting follows the formal handover of the APEC chairmanship and comes as Beijing presses Seoul on THAAD-related sensitivities and export controls for chip equipment. Wi said Korea will raise stable supply chains and North Korean provocations while seeking cooperation on climate and digital trade.
North Korea wildcard
Asked about a possible Trump meeting with Kim Jong Un, Wi said there have been no new developments. U.S. experts told Korean media Thursday that Pyongyang’s demands on denuclearization language make a near-term summit unlikely.
Local preparations
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok reported Friday that infrastructure work for APEC is 99 percent complete, including media villages and AI translation services in taxis. For Gyeongju residents, Wi’s date announcement marks the moment diplomatic speculation turns into traffic plans and school holidays around security perimeters.
Security footprint
Police said additional road closures will apply Oct. 28 through Nov. 2 along routes between Gimhae International Airport and Gyeongju. Residents received SMS alerts in Korean and English detailing garbage collection changes during motorcade hours.
Business hotels in Busan reported near-full occupancy from media crews covering Xi’s arrival, which may use the port city’s airport depending on flight logistics. Wi declined to confirm travel routes for either leader, citing security protocols.
Economic side events
APEC CEO summit sessions begin Tuesday in Gyeongju Expo Park, showcasing Korean industrial history and AI demos aimed at delegates. Trade ministry officials hope side meetings will produce investment MOUs even if leaders’ communiques remain cautious on geopolitics.
Parliamentary oversight
National Assembly foreign affairs committee members from both parties asked Wi to testify next week on summit talking points, especially the investment package with Washington. Wi said the administration will brief lawmakers in closed session before Oct. 29.
Opposition lawmakers demanded that any concession on agriculture or pharmaceuticals receive prior legislative review, a request the presidential office did not immediately accept.
City officials in Gyeongju asked residents to stock groceries before Oct. 28 because delivery trucks will face intermittent checkpoints. Wi said humanitarian corridors for medical vehicles will remain open.
Hotel occupancy near HICO exceeded 95 percent as journalists secured rooms months ago; last-minute delegations are being routed to Busan with shuttle service.
Wi said Korea will propose an APEC leaders’ statement on supply-chain resilience that avoids naming specific countries, a compromise diplomats have used in prior forums when U.S.-China language deadlocked.
Media access
Press pools for the Trump and Xi meetings will be smaller than usual bilateral summits because of venue security, Wi said, promising a televised statement after the Lee-Trump talks at minimum.