Trump not to visit DMZ: White House

US President Donald Trump will not visit the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating North Korea and South Korea during his upcoming Asian tour due to a tight schedule, the White House said on Tuesday.

Instead, Trump will visit Camp Humphreys, a military base about 60 km south of Seoul, during his visit to South Korea, a senior White House official told reporters in a briefing.

The President had to choose between the DMZ and the Camp Humphreys because of the limited time, said the official on condition of anonymity, who also pointed out that no US President has ever visited Camp Humphreys yet, while Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis have all visited the heavily fortified border.

Trump's travel to Asia is slated for November 3 to November 14, and it will take him to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

During his trip, Trump will attend the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Vietnam on November 10-11 and the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Philippines on November 12.

--IANS

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