Anticipation for Gyeongju APEC

[Anchor]

The APEC summit will be held in Gyeongju this October.

If U.S. President Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un both attend and meet there, it would certainly attract global attention.

In fact, efforts are underway for such a meeting.

Lee Hyun-jun reports.

[Report]

The APEC summit, taking place in Gyeongju this year, marks the first such meeting in 20 years since the 2005 APEC summit in Busan.

Lee Cheol-woo, the Governor of North Gyeongsang Province, expressed his hope that U.S. President Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un would meet in Gyeongju.

He mentioned that he has repeatedly requested U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Joseph Yun to facilitate President Trump's visit and inquired whether President Trump could invite Chairman Kim and Russian President Putin.

[Lee Cheol-woo/Governor of North Gyeongsang Province/KBS 'Sunday Diagnosis Live': "If we invite Kim Jong-un and Putin to our APEC, that could be seen as a Nobel Prize opportunity for Trump."]

In particular, since Chinese President Xi Jinping has already hinted at attending the Gyeongju APEC meeting, he expressed expectations for a rapid easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

President Xi previously met with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik during his visit to China and stated that "it is customary for the head of state to attend," adding that he is "seriously considering" attending.

In response to concerns from participating countries about whether the state of emergency martial law would disrupt the meeting preparations, the governor responded that the situation is being managed well.

[Lee Cheol-woo/Governor of North Gyeongsang Province/KBS 'Sunday Diagnosis Live': "We are inviting foreign ambassadors to Gyeongju along with institutions under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and we are preparing well, so there will be no problems..."]

However, the governor noted that the budget increase for APEC-related expenses was also thwarted due to the National Assembly's budget cuts, and he requested support for the budget through supplementary measures.

This is Lee Hyun-jun from KBS News.