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Trump arrives in Korea ahead of APEC, meeting with Lee

Published: 29 Oct. 2025, 11:59 Updated: 29 Oct. 2025, 12:41

U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Haneda Airport in Tokyo for his departure to Korea, Oct. 29. [AP/YONHAP]

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Korea on Wednesday for a two-day state visit, his first time in the country in nearly a decade.

Trump departed from Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Wednesday morning and landed at Gimhae International Airport in Busan at around 11:31 a.m. He then traveled directly to Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, to begin his official schedule.

A red carpet was rolled out in front of Air Force One as U.S. President Donald Trump steps out of the aircraft at 11:45 a.m. Trump greeted government officials waiting at the airport with a light fist pump before slowly descending the stairs.

As he walked between the honor guards lined up on both sides of the red carpet, Trump shook hands with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha.

Accompanied by a gun salute, the military band performed the 1970s pop song “YMCA,” which Trump used during his campaign rallies. Trump then boarded Marine One, the presidential helicopter, to head to Gyeongju for the APEC summit.

Air Force One carrying U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Gimhae International Airport in Busan on Oct. 29 for his two-day state visit to Korea. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The visit, made just before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, includes a summit with President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday afternoon at the Gyeongju National Museum. It will mark the second Korea-U.S. summit between the two leaders — their first taking place in Washington in August.

Key topics on the agenda are expected to include bilateral tariff negotiations and efforts to modernize the Korea-U.S. alliance.

Ahead of Trump’s arrival, President Lee inspected final preparations for the APEC-related events on Tuesday before traveling to Gyeongju. He has prepared a specially crafted replica of a Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) gold crown as a gift for Trump and plans to confer upon him the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, Korea’s highest national honor.

Before the formal summit and luncheon, the two leaders are expected to meet at the Gyeongju National Museum to view exhibits together and exchange greetings in a friendly setting.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU, KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]