President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Gyeongju on Tuesday afternoon, one day ahead of his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, as South Korea prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) Leaders’ Meeting.

The presidential office said Lee traveled early to the host city in his capacity as APEC chair, with no public events scheduled for the day.

Lee is set for a packed schedule during his stay that includes bilateral talks with Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as participation in the APEC summit and the CEO Forum as a keynote speaker.

The South Korea–U.S. summit, expected to focus on tariff negotiations and the modernization of the two nations' alliance, is drawing particular attention, though officials have acknowledged that a full agreement may be difficult to reach.

Lee is also receiving real-time updates on preparations for the U.S.–China summit and potential North Korea–U.S. contact as Washington and Beijing both send signals of diplomatic activity.

The South Korean leader is expected to finalize his keynote speech for the APEC CEO Summit before the event kicks off while directing ministries to ensure smooth logistics and security at the high-profile gathering.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said the series of bilateral summits during APEC would highlight Korea’s role as a “platform nation” in regional diplomacy, setting the stage for a new phase of its foreign policy leadership.