Former President Moon scheduled to meet Biden in Seoul this weekend

SEOUL, May 18 (Yonhap) -- Former President Moon Jae-in is set to return to the political spotlight about two weeks after his retirement, as he is expected to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden in Seoul this weekend, informed officials said Wednesday.

Biden is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Friday for a three-day visit and hold his first summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol the following day.

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.

According to the officials, Moon's side has virtually confirmed his meeting with Biden and is now in the process of coordinating detailed schedules.

With the Yoon-Biden summit currently scheduled for Saturday, it is highly likely Moon's meeting with the U.S. president will take place in Seoul on Sunday, they said.

"The specific meeting schedule for Moon and Biden can still be changed, as it is known that the schedule for the South Korea-U.S. summit has yet to be fully confirmed," an informed official said.

The meeting with Moon was reportedly requested by Biden's side and the former president is said to have expressed his gratitude at the request. Moon's side, however, dismissed some speculation that the former president's possible trip to North Korea as a special envoy may be discussed during his meeting with Biden.

In this regard, officials close to Moon said the two sides agreed to have free dialogue without setting an agenda in advance and they are unlikely to discuss important issues, including those on North Korea.

Nevertheless, issues related to North Korea are likely to be discussed by Moon and Biden to some extent, watchers say, considering the increasingly complicated circumstances surrounding the North, as seen in its possible nuclear weapons test and the recent rapid spread of COVID-19 among North Koreans.

ycm@yna.co.kr
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