U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters “we'll take a look” at visiting the Korean Demilitarized Zone during his planned five-nation Asian trip next month.
South Korean media have speculated that Trump could go to the heavily-armed DMZ, the narrow strip of land separating South and North Korea that provides a vantage point looking into the reclusive and isolated nation.
Trump did not directly answer whether such a visit – similar to the one Vice President Mike Pence made in April – would be seen as provocative by the North Koreans.
“Every American president has visited the DMZ, and President Trump should too,” says a former U.S. ambassador to South Korea and assistant secretary of state, Christopher Hill.
Hill, now dean of the Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, tells VOA, however, “timing is also something to weigh."
Ned Price, a former National Security Council senior director and assistant to President Barack Obama agrees, adding, that “the North Koreans would interpret any visit as provocative.”
Price tells VOA what the president says or does while at the DMZ“would determine just how the North Koreans react. Any blustery language –- such as what we've seen in recent weeks -- would be hugely detrimental to the cause of a diplomatic de-escalation.”
Trump, during a five-nation trip to Asia next month, is looking to ramp up pressure against North Korea's nuclear weapons development, but also promote American economic interests in the region.
The White House said Monday that Trump's November 3-14 visit will include stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. The president is to hold talks with the heads of state at each stop.
美国总统川普星期一对记者说，在他计划下个月访问亚洲五国期间，将会探讨访问朝鲜半岛非军事区的问题。
韩国媒体揣测，川普总统可能会前往重兵把守的非军事区。在这个分割朝鲜半岛南北双方的狭窄地带，可以看到与世隔绝的朝鲜。
川普总统没有直接回答这样的访问是否会被朝鲜视为挑衅行为。副总统彭斯今年四月访问过非军事分区。
前美国驻韩国大使和助理国务卿希尔说：“美国总统都访问过非军事区。川普总统也应该去。”
现在丹佛大学科贝尔国际研究学院担任院长的希尔对美国之音说：“时机也是一个需要考量的问题。”
前国家安全委员会高级主任并担任奥巴马总统助手的普莱斯也持同样看法。他还说，朝鲜会把任何访问视为挑衅。
普莱斯对美国之音说，总统在非军事区的所言所为“会决定朝鲜如何反应。任何像我们过去几个星期里听到的激烈言辞都会对缓解紧张的外交努力造成重大负面影响”。
川普总统下个月的亚洲五国之行将谋求加大向朝鲜施压的力度，迫使其放弃核武器开发，同时还将促进美国在亚洲地区的经济利益。
白宫星期一说，川普总统11月3号到14号的出访将包括日本、韩国、中国、越南和菲律宾，并将在每一站与各国的元首对话。