The South Koreans plan to roll out the red carpet for first daughter Ivanka Trump when she heads to Pyeongchang to attend the Winter Olympic Games’ closing ceremony later this month.
The Chosun Ilbo, a major South Korean newspaper, reported Monday that Trump, also a top White House adviser, will receive VIP treatment when she touches down on the peninsula on February 25.
‘The government apparently wants to soften her up so [President] Trump agrees to a mooted visit to Pyongyang by President Moon Jae-in,’ the article in the English version of the paper said.
Ivanka Trump will receive a VIP greeting in South Korea when she heads to the winter Olympics later this month. The South Koreans want the Americans on board an ‘inter-Korean summit’
Ivanka Trump could be greeted in South Korea by the country’s President Moon Jae-in, who may also accompany the first daughter and White House adviser to a skiing competition, a South Korean news report said
Vice President Pence (bottom right) and his wife Karen (bottom left) traveled to South Korea for the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games, though they didn’t interact with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo-Jong (top left)
An unnamed ruling-party lawmaker told the paper, ‘You can say that Ivanka Trump holds the key to convincing the U.S. government. We will provide all the support we can in terms of diplomatic protocol.’
That could mean South Korean President Moon Jae-in could personally greet her.
Another official from South Korea’s ‘Blue House’ Cheong Wa Dae – the name of the country’s executive residence – gave the newspaper more details.
‘Ivanka enjoys sports and especially skiing, so we are discussing having the president travel to Pyeongchang with her to watch a skiing competition,’ the source said.
The report also said the South Korean government planned to shower Ivanka Trump with gifts to take home to her three young children, two boys and a girl.
In explaining that South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook may also tour Ivanka Trump around, the paper also notes that to the South Korean government Ivanka Trump is for ‘all intents and purposes’ the American first lady ‘rather than Trump’s reluctant wife Melania.’
Moon and first lady Kim are expected to host either a lunch or dinner for Ivanka Trump before the closing ceremony.
The South Koreans are trying to ensure their treatment of the American first daughter is in line with the welcome they gave to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, who attended the opening ceremony of the Olympics, but has returned to the so-called ‘hermit kingdom’ since.
At the ceremony, she was seated almost directly behind Vice President Mike Pence, who did not engage with her.
Pence, according to American officials, also didn’t snub North Korean’s head of state at a dinner with President Moon, a South Korean media suggested, according to CNN.
Neither the Americans nor the North Koreans accepted President Moon’s efforts to try and get the two sides to talk, especially since there have been months of escalating nuclear rhetoric.
With Ivanka Trump, the South Koreans can try again.
‘Since President Trump cannot make it to Pyeongchang, Ivanka is his proxy and envoy,’ one ruling-party official told Chosun Ilbo. ‘It’s important to win her support to realize an inter-Korean summit.’
The White House has not officially named the members of the American delegation heading to the closing ceremony.