[Anchor]
In the summit, the so-called Trump risk that may emerge is a concern, but there are already unusual situations occurring in terms of the presidential protocol.
It is not customary for our Foreign Minister or even the President’s Chief of Staff to go to the U.S. in advance.
This report is brought to you by reporter Song Geum-han.
[Report]
A day before the South Korea-U.S. summit, President Kang Hoon-sik’s Chief of Staff arrived in Washington.
Usually, during the President’s overseas visit, the Chief of Staff manages domestic affairs, but this time, along with the National Security Chief and Policy Chief, all ‘three chiefs’ went, indicating an all-out effort.
[Kang Hoon-sik / President’s Chief of Staff: “(Isn’t there a deadlock in negotiations…?) Rather than using the term ‘deadlock’, I think it would be more appropriate to understand it as we are putting in a total effort.”]
Chief Kang mentioned he would meet and persuade as many people as possible, suggesting that the two sides have not narrowed their differences even at the last moment.
The protocol for the President also drew attention.
There are state visits, official visits, official working visits, and working visits. Unlike the state visit during the last South Korea-U.S. summit, this time there was no guard of honor and the U.S. Deputy Chief of Protocol welcomed the President.
The Presidential Office explained that the welcome ceremony is omitted for an official working visit.
The presence of the Deputy Chief of Protocol is somewhat unusual, but it did happen during Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba’s visit to the U.S. in February.
Several interpretations emerged as the President and First Lady stayed in a hotel instead of Blair House, the official guesthouse of the U.S. It is known Blair House is under repair, but last month the Israeli Prime Minister who made a working visit stayed there, leading the opposition party to point out that the U.S.’s protocol sharply contrasts with past precedents.
This has been KBS News, Song Geum-han reporting.
Video editing: Kim Dae-bum / Graphics: Kim Ji-hye, Yeo Hyun-su
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