President Yoon to hold summit with U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida

President Yoon Suk-yeol takes questions from reporters Thursday morning at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul. [NEWS1]

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday he will hold a trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of upcoming regional gatherings in Southeast Asia.

Yoon made the remark to reporters a day before he leaves for Cambodia and Indonesia to attend summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Group of 20.

Yoon will stay in Phnom Penh for three days and meet with leaders of the 10 member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and other regional partners.

On Sunday evening, he will depart for Indonesia to attend a Group of 20, or G20, summit in Bali.

"I have had many thoughts about whether I should attend these events leaving behind people who are still grieving the Itaewon tragedy," Yoon told reporters.

"But as they are important events for our citizens' economic activity and profitability, I made the difficult decision to attend."

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, YONHAP [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]