D-100 TO APEC 2025 IN S. KOREA

Welcome to Wednesday's edition of Press Perspective.

It's July 23rd here in Seoul.

I'm Min Sunhee.

We are counting down one hundred days to the start of this year's APEC summit here in South Korea on October 31st and already the upcoming multilateral gathering is making headlines.

For more I have Thomas Maresca with American news agency UPI.

Thomas welcome.

I also have Professor Kim Jae-chun at Sogang University joining our session virtually.

Professor Kim it's a pleasure.

Thomas, let's begin with details of the exclusive coverage by the South China Morning Post about a possible summit between the leaders of the U.S. and China on the sidelines of the APEC summit here in South Korea.

Professor Kim, what would be the significance of this upcoming summit between Mr. Trump and President Xi, and what might be on their agenda?

Thomas, staying with possible summits, the Chinese leader's planned visit to South Korea to partake in the APEC meeting will mark his first in 11 years.

During talks over the phone with China's Xi Jinping following his election victory, President Lee Jae Myung underscored the importance of cooperation on economy and security.

What are the prospects of productive bilateral ties between Seoul and Beijing under the Lee and Xi administrations, and in what areas might the two sides see tangible progress?

Professor Kim, also speaking of summits, officials here are actively working to arrange a one-on-one between President Lee Jae Myung and his American counterpart Donald Trump.

What are your thoughts regarding these efforts to ensure a meeting in the near future?

Are you concerned about a potential Oval Office ambush, if you will, by Mr. Trump against his South Korean counterpart, AND IF SO, what might be the issue of contention, and how should President Lee Jae Myung seek to navigate such a scenario?

Thomas, back on the upcoming APEC summit in Gyeongju this autumn.

Do tell us a bit about the agenda this year including of course, South Korea's intentions to address falling birthrates and aging societies, topics that are not traditionally tackled at the APEC.

Professor Kim, SK Group leader Chey Tae-won will be hosting the APEC CEO Summit this year.

Speaking to members of the media, he recently proposed an EU-style economic bloc including South Korea and Japan.

What are your thoughts regarding such a regional bloc?

Thomas, speaking as a foreign journalist based here in Seoul, are there any underreported aspects of South Korea's APEC hosting that you think deserve more international attention?

Professor Kim, generally speaking, how does the hosting of APEC this year look to affect South Korea's international clout?

All right.