President Donald Trump has declined to say whether or not he will visit the Korean Demilitarized Zone when he travels to South Korea next month.
“I’d rather not say, but you’ll be surprised,” Trump told reporters on the White House South Lawn, according to Reuters.
South Korean defense officials hinted earlier in October that Trump might follow in the footsteps of past presidents and visit the DMZ, noting the White House sent an advanced team to make preparations for the president’s visit, and they made stops along the inter-Korean border.
Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama all visited the DMZ during their presidencies. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Vice President Mike Pence have also made trips to the border. Some observers suggested that were Trump to visit the DMZ, it could escalate tensions, as well as endanger the president.
White House officials revealed over the weekend that Trump did not have plans to visit the heated 2.5-mile-wide, 150-mile-long buffer zone between North and South Korea during his trip.
It is unclear whether or not Trump will travel to Kim Jong Un’s doorstep while in SouthKorea, but much like the president’s North Korea strategy, it appears all options remain on the table.
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