Foreign Minister Cho Hyun arrives in Washington to conduct final review ahead of Korea-U.S. summit

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun arrived in Washington, D.C.,.. departing early.

Cho is likely to conduct a final review for the summit agenda with his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio.

Cha Yun-kyung has more.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun arrived in Washington, D.C. on Friday, in preparation for the Korea-U.S. summit next week.

Cho is set to conduct a final on-site review for the summit agenda with U.S. officials, which is likely to include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Cho is revisiting the U.S. about three weeks after having a summit with Rubio at the end of last month.

Cho is skipping the planned Korea-Japan summit in Tokyo scheduled for Saturday.

As it is unusual for a foreign minister to forgo a summit, especially one marking the president's first trip to Japan, Cho's early trip to the U.S. has fueled speculation of last-minute complications, such as emergency trade or security issues.

But the Presidential Office said on Friday that there was "nothing sudden" about the foreign minister's early departure for the U.S., with

spokesperson Kang Yu-jung explaining during a briefing on Friday that it is to ensure more thorough and meticulous preparations.

President Lee Jae Myung is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C. for the first time since his inauguration on Monday local time.

Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.