President Biden will meet with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea in Washington on May 21, the White House said Thursday.
“President Moon’s visit will highlight the iron alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea and the broad and deep relationships between our governments, people and economies,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. “President Biden looks forward to working with President Moon to further strengthen our alliance and expand our close working relationship.”
In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Mr. Moon urged Mr. Biden to sit down with North Korea and start negotiations.
Mr Biden’s predecessor, Donald J. Trump, left office without removing a single North Korean nuclear warhead. Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, has resumed weapons testing.
“He hit the bushes and didn’t manage to pull it off,” said Mr. Moon of Mr. Trump’s efforts on North Korea. “The most important starting point for both governments is to have the will to dialogue and to meet face to face early on.”
He also urged the United States to work with China on North Korea and other global issues like climate change. A deterioration in relations between the two countries could jeopardize the denuclearization negotiations, he warned.
Mr Biden met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the White House on April 16 to celebrate the first in-person visit by a foreign leader during his presidency.
