Moon leaves for New York to attend UN General Assembly

President Moon Jae-in on Sunday left for New York on a five-day trip to attend the 73rd United Nations General Assembly and to meet with US counterpart Donald Trump over peninsular developments, including the latest inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang.

Moon left the country via Seoul Air Base on Sunday afternoon, and is set to land in New York on Sunday late afternoon, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

 

"During this year's Chuseok holiday, I will attend the UN General Assembly to let the world know of a peaceful Korean Peninsula and discuss with US President Donald Trump on ways to strengthen our peace," Moon wrote on his social network accounts before departure.

"I won't be able to spend Chuseok with the people, but believe that this will serve as an opportunity to bring peace and prosperity to our people."

On the sidelines of the UN meeting and related global events, Moon is scheduled to hold a bilateral summit with the US counterpart. During their meeting, the two state chiefs are expected to sign the revised version of their countries’ Free Trade Agreement and exchange opinions on North Korean affairs.

Moon had said earlier that he has additional, unrevealed messages for Trump that come directly from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

“Chairman Kim Jong-un sent me a beautiful letter two days ago,” Trump had said Friday, in the wake of the Moon-Kim summit held in Pyongyang, though he reserved the details.

On Tuesday, Moon is to give a policy speech, sharing the recent progress made in the inter-Korean relations and his vision for the future, focusing on the Seoul-Washington partnership in achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula.

On Wednesday afternoon, he will speak at the UN General Assembly, an event likely to attract the international community’s full attention as it comes only days after the historic Pyongyang summit.

The president is slated to arrive back home on Thursday night.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)