Trump's Critical South Korea Visit: US-China Trade War Breakthrough and Potential Kim Jong Un Meeting

US President Donald Trump is set to visit South Korea on Wednesday, marking the third leg of his Asia tour, where a potentially pivotal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled.

During this two-day diplomatic engagement with a key US ally, Trump will follow up on his previous stops where he received praise at a regional summit in Malaysia and was honored as a "peacemaker" by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The highlight of Trump's visit will be Thursday's meeting with Xi Jinping—their first face-to-face encounter in six years. This highly anticipated summit could determine whether the two largest economies in the world can reach a breakthrough in their ongoing trade war, which has disrupted global markets and supply chains.

Negotiators from both nations have confirmed that a "framework" has been established. The final decision now rests with Trump and Xi, who will meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju.

William Yang, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, notes a disconnect in expectations: "There seems to be a mismatch in terms of where both countries are, heading into the Trump-Xi summit." While the United States appears "eager to reach any trade deal that Trump could declare as a victory," China is focused on "building more mutual trust, managing longstanding differences, and steadying the bilateral trade relationship."

Trump is expected to arrive in Busan after spending two days in Tokyo, where Japan's conservative premier Takaichi celebrated what she called a "golden age" in US-Japan relations.

The US president will then proceed to Gyeongju for discussions with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, marking their second in-person meeting in just two months following their Washington encounter.

Trade issues are likely to dominate their talks, as both nations remain at an impasse over a comprehensive economic agreement. In July, Trump announced that Washington had agreed to reduce tariffs on South Korean imports to 15 percent in exchange for Seoul's commitment to a $350 billion investment.

However, high automobile tariffs remain in place, and disagreements persist over the structure of South Korea's investment pledge. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged on Monday that there were still "a lot of details to work out" in what he described as a "complicated" deal, while Trump has denied any "snag" in negotiations.

Anti-Trump demonstrations are planned in Gyeongju, with activists condemning what they characterize as his "predatory investment demands."

Adding another layer of diplomatic significance, Trump has extended an invitation to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for a meeting during his visit to the Korean peninsula.

The two leaders last met in 2019 at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that has separated North and South Korea since the end of the Korean War. Trump has expressed enthusiasm about potentially meeting Kim again, even suggesting that sanctions could be a topic for discussion.

North Korea has yet to publicly respond to the invitation, and officials in Seoul appear divided on whether such a meeting will materialize.

Last month, Kim stated he had "fond memories" of his meetings with Trump while also expressing openness to dialogue if the United States abandoned its "delusional" demand for North Korea to relinquish its nuclear arsenal.

Chad O'Carroll, founder of NK News, commented: "Trump's made it clear he wants to meet. The ball is in Kim Jong Un's court."

However, analysts note that the North Korean leader Trump might encounter now is significantly different from the one he met in 2019. Kim has strengthened his position by securing crucial support from Russia, having deployed thousands of North Korean troops to fight alongside Russian forces.

"North Korea has time on its side and isn't as isolated as before," observed Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification. "A surprise event to show personal rapport is possible, but a negotiation with tangible results—like denuclearisation talks—will not happen."