U.S. President Donald Trump will not visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea during his upcoming Asian tour due to a tight schedule, the White House said on Tuesday.
Instead, Trump will visit Camp Humphreys, a military base about 60 km south of Seoul, capital of South Korea, during his visit to South Korea, a senior White House official told reporters in a briefing.
The president had to choose between the DMZ and the Camp Humphreys because of the limited time, said the official on condition of anonymity, who also pointed out that no U.S. president has ever visited the Camp Humphreys yet.
The official noted that U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, State Secretary Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis have all visited the heavily fortified border.
Trump's travel to Asia is slated for Nov. 3 to Nov. 14, and it will take him to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
During his trip, Trump will attend the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Vietnam on Nov. 10-11 and the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Philippines on Nov. 12.
