Saturday 21 May 2022 03:25 AM White House open to giving North Korea COVID aid despite Kim's missile test ... trends now

Saturday 21 May 2022 03:25 AM White House open to giving North Korea COVID aid despite Kim's missile test ... trends now
Saturday 21 May 2022 03:25 AM White House open to giving North Korea COVID aid despite Kim's missile test ... trends now

Saturday 21 May 2022 03:25 AM White House open to giving North Korea COVID aid despite Kim's missile test ... trends now

President Joe Biden will reunite with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Saturday in Seoul for a packed day of diplomacy with the country's new leader, whose only been in office for 11 days.

As the specter of a North Korean missile or nuclear test hangs over the trip, the White House indicated Saturday morning a new openness to provide North Korea with coronavirus aid despite the threats. 

'I think that we are very concerned about the COVID situation in the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea]. We are very sensitive to the fact that they appear to be facing a quite serious situation and I think you've seen we stand ready to work with others in the international community as needed to provide assistance, and that includes obviously the [Republic of Korea], but it includes others, using existing international mechanisms,' a senior administration official said. 

Earlier this month, then White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. had no  plans to share COVID vaccines with North Korea. 

On Saturday, a senior White House official didn't take that off the table.

'I think that it's very clear that we have a common interest in doing whatever we can to address this challenge and working through the - with the international communities through whatever mechanism is appropriate,' the official said. 

North Korea will be one of the top issue areas Biden will discuss with Yoon, a newcomer to politics, who spent his career as a prosecutor who led high-profile probes into some of his predecessor Moon Jae-in's political aides. 

Biden will have an afternoon bilateral meeting with Yoon and later attend a state dinner.  

President Joe Biden (right) will spend Saturday with South Korea's new leader, President Yoon Suk-yeol (left), who he toured a Samsung plant with Friday

President Joe Biden (right) will spend Saturday with South Korea's new leader, President Yoon Suk-yeol (left), who he toured a Samsung plant with Friday 

New South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (right) spoke after the tour of the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, introducing President Joe Biden (left)

New South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (right) spoke after the tour of the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, introducing President Joe Biden (left) 

President Joe Biden (right) arrives at the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus on Friday and greets South Korea's new President Yoon Suk-yeol (left)

President Joe Biden (right) arrives at the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus on Friday and greets South Korea's new President Yoon Suk-yeol (left) 

President Joe Biden (center) receives a tour Friday of the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus in South Korea alongside (from left) Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong

President Joe Biden (center) receives a tour Friday of the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus in South Korea alongside (from left) Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong

President Joe Biden greets a worker at the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus in Pyeongtaek, South Korea on Friday, his first stop in Asia

President Joe Biden greets a worker at the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus in Pyeongtaek, South Korea on Friday, his first stop in Asia 

Air Force One with President Joe Biden arrives at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Friday to kick-off the president's first tour of Asia since taking office in 2021

Air Force One with President Joe Biden arrives at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Friday to kick-off the president's first tour of Asia since taking office in 2021 

During their first meeting Friday evening, at Samsung's Pyeongtaek Campus, Biden addressed a crowd and accidentally called Yoon 'Moon,' before correcting himself. 

'And President Moon – Yoon – you thank you everything you've done,' Biden said. 

Yoon won election, in part, because he said he'd take a tougher stance against North Korea.  

Moon had tried to promote a peaceful reconciliation between the two Koreas. 

Yoon pledged that he would not ease sanctions on his northern neighbor until leader Kim Jong Un made 'active efforts in complete and verifiable denuclearization.' 

At the same time, Yoon revealed an 'audacious' plan during his May 10 inaugural address to revive North Korea's economy if Kim committed to denuclearization. 

The U.S. and South Korea could use COVID assistance as an additional carrot, as North Korea has reported a whopping 1.72 million patients who have 'fever' symptoms - with 62 deaths - as of Tuesday. 

South Korea has offered to send medical supplies including vaccines, tests and masks. 

In the run-up to Biden's trip - his first to Asia as president - National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was open about the fact North Korea could launch a missile or nuclear test while the president was in the region. 

'Our intelligence does reflect the genuine possibility that there will be either a further missile test, including long-range missile test, or a nuclear test, or frankly both in the days leading into, on or after the president’s trip to the region,' said Wednesday from the podium. 

'We are preparing for all contingencies, including the possibility that such a provocation would occur while we are in Korea or in Japan,' he added. 

North Korea has already conducted 15 ballistic missile tests this year, as well as seven nuclear tests. 

South Korea's spy agency said North Korea has been making preparations for another test.

South Korea's Foreign Minister Park Jin greets U.S. President Joe Biden as he arrives at Osan Air Base (ROK) in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, May 20, 2022

South Korea's Foreign Minister Park Jin greets U.S. President Joe Biden as he arrives at Osan Air Base (ROK) in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, May 20, 2022

Pedestrians walk past banners calling for strength of the South Korea-US alliance near the US embassy in Seoul on May 20, 2022, ahead of US President Joe Biden's visit to South Korea

Pedestrians walk past banners calling for strength of the South Korea-US alliance near the US embassy in Seoul on May 20, 2022, ahead of US President Joe Biden's visit to South Korea

Biden toured the Samsung Electronics Co. semiconductor manufacturing plant in Pyeongtaek

Biden toured the Samsung Electronics Co. semiconductor manufacturing plant in Pyeongtaek

He's leaving the United States just days before the pandemic-era Title 42 policy is lifted

He's leaving the United States just days before the pandemic-era Title 42 policy is lifted

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