German president seeks to promote Korean unification with state visit

In a meeting with her chief secretaries on Tuesday, President Park said the summit will be an opportunity to strengthen cooperation against North Korea’s nuclear development and provocations.

President Park Geun-hye is poised to offer letters of credence to newly appointed diplomats at Cheong Wa Dae last Thursday.

According to a White House statement, the two presidents will “exchange views on a broad range of security, economic, and global issues, including the U.S.-South Korean alliance and the critical role it plays in assuring regional stability and security”.

The summit is being held after the original plan in June was delayed due to Middle East respiratory syndrome spread that had hit the nation hard this summer.

South Korea, China and Japan are also scheduled to hold trilateral summit talks at the end of the month or the start of next month.

Upon arrival, Park will pay tribute to the Korean War veterans on Wednesday, and visit the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to seek wider cooperation in space industry.

Gauck arrived on Sunday for a visit to the South Korean capital, a trip that comes 25 years after German reunification and 70 years after the division of the Korean peninsula. In their fourth summit talks, President Park and President Obama are also expected to discuss measures for a stronger alliance.

China aside, the continuing North Korean threat, and the instability it generates throughout the region, are likely to factor heavily in discussions between us and South Korean officials throughout Ms. Park’s visit to Washington.