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President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump
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President Trump’s daughter will likely meet at the Blue House with South Korean President Moon Jae-in
White House advisor Ivanka Trump, older daughter of US President Donald Trump, will arrive in South Korea on Feb. 23 for a four-day visit to attend the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Trump appears likely to meet for a meal with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Blue House during her visit. “My understanding is that Ms. Trump will be arriving on Feb. 23 and departing on Feb. 26 after attending the Pyeongchang Olympics closing ceremony on Feb. 25,” a senior Blue House official said on Feb. 20. Trump is visiting as the head of an official US delegation. She was originally scheduled to visit for three days, but the trip was extended by one day during coordination with Seoul, the official said. Trump will reportedly be spending most of her visit in the Gangneung and Pyeongchang area, where she will be supporting US athletes competing in the Olympics. Some have mentioned coordination of a visit to the Yeomyung School for young North Korean defectors in Seoul’s Jung district. The Blue House is viewing Ivanka Trump’s visit as a potential opportunity to gauge the US President’s intentions regarding dialogue with North Korea. Presidents Moon and Trump have not spoken directly since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent his younger sister Yo-jong to South Korea as a special envoy to propose an inter-Korean summit. “Dialogue between the South Korean and US leaders may take place once we have received a message from Ivanka Trump,” a senior Blue House official said. Because Ivanka Trump is not a diplomatic specialist, some observers are speculating she may restrict her focus to her duties as head of a congratulatory delegation. For now, the Blue House plans to receive Trump with the highest level of courtesy during her visit. “We will provide formalities at the head of state level in accordance with the Pyeongchang Olympics Organizing Committee and IOC rules of protocol,” the official said. By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
