Moon-Biden meeting unlikely to occur

Seoul, May 19

An anticipated meeting between former South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden in Seoul this weekend is unlikely to take place, officials here and in Washington said Thursday.

Biden is scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Friday for a three-day visit and hold his first summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol the following day. It was previously reported Moon may meet with Biden during his visit to Seoul, Yonhap News Agency reported.

But U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan denied the reports in a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday, saying, "We don't have a meeting scheduled with (former) President Moon at this time."

Those close to Moon said they have nothing to say about the U.S.' decision.

"The meeting was initially pursued at the suggestion of the White House. If the White House has finally decided not to include the meeting in the schedule, we have nothing to say in addition to what was said," said an official.

Moon left office on May 9 after serving a five-year term and is now staying in his retirement home in the southeastern city of Yangsan.