Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of US President Donald Trump, is scheduled to visit South Korea next week on what will be his first trip to the country since the inauguration of the second Trump administration, according to industry sources Thursday.
Trump Jr. is visiting at the invitation of Shinsegae Group Chair Chung Yong-jin, who reportedly extended the offer during a recent visit to Mar-a-Lago, President Trump’s private residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
According to sources, Chung conveyed the Korean business community’s hope for a liaison with the Trump administration and asked Trump Jr. to consider a visit to Seoul. The invitation was readily accepted.
During his stay, Trump Jr. is expected to meet with leading figures from Korea’s top 10 conglomerates. No meetings with government or political figures have been arranged at this time, sources said.
The visit comes at a time when the Trump administration is ramping up trade pressure on key partners, drawing keen attention from Korea’s business elite.
With the official communication channels between the Korean government and Washington weakened in the aftermath of the impeachment turmoil, personal networks like that of Chung are gaining heightened significance.
Trump Jr. is executive vice president of the Trump Organization and, though he has no official government position, is widely regarded as a key behind-the-scenes figure in his father's administration. His relationship with Chung is said to be particularly close, purportedly extending beyond business to religious ties.
In December, Chung spent six days at Mar-a-Lago at Trump Jr.’s invitation, holding an extended private conversation with then-President-elect Trump. In January, Chung also traveled to Washington for the presidential inauguration, where Trump Jr. helped arrange meetings with several influential figures from both the political and business spheres.
By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)
