Harris will tour the border area between the two warring countries on Thursday at the end of his Asia trip, an official said. The visit will take place amid ongoing concerns over Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programs.
Harris is currently in Tokyo, where he attended the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in July.
Shortly before the US vice president departed Washington, North Korea test-fired a short-range ballistic missile in an apparent response to joint military exercises between the United States and the Republic of Korea, which also included the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Ronald Reagan.
Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited the demilitarized zone in August. Former President Donald Trump visited the border between the two countries in 2019 when he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Harris’s plan, which had been kept secret by her team, was unexpectedly revealed today during a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duk-soo. Soon after, a White House official confirmed the details of her visit.
Harris will “tour sites in the demilitarized zone, meet with military personnel and receive an operational briefing from American commanders,” said the official, who disclosed the details on the condition of anonymity, BTA informed.
