Trump Visits South Korea for Trade Talks as North Fires Missile

President Donald Trump landed in South Korea Wednesday, wrapping up his Asia trip with tough talks on trade and fresh concerns over North Korea’s missile tests.

After leaving Tokyo, Trump arrived in the historic city of Gyeongju to meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and top business leaders.

The main focus is a trade deal announced in August, where South Korea promised $350 billion in U.S. investments to avoid American tariffs.

But the two sides are still stuck—Seoul wants to pay in stages and include loans, while a final agreement seems out of reach. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said a last-minute U.S. compromise could still save the deal.

• Trump visits South Korea for trade talks as North Korea fires another missile
• Trump, South Korea’s Lee Jae Myung meet amid trade tensions and missile tests
• North Korea missile launch overshadows Trump’s trade talks in South Korea

The timing couldn’t be worse. Just hours before Trump’s arrival, North Korea test-fired a nuclear-capable cruise missile—the second launch in a week. State media called it a warning to strengthen its nuclear forces. Trump has talked about meeting Kim Jong Un again, but Pyongyang says it won’t negotiate unless the U.S. drops demands to give up its nuclear weapons.

Trump will skip the full APEC summit but meet China’s Xi Jinping on Thursday. A new U.S.-China agreement pausing tariff hikes and rare earth restrictions has boosted markets, and Trump told allies he believes Xi won’t invade Taiwan during his term.

Earlier stops brought results: deals in Malaysia, a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, and $550 billion in Japanese investments. Japan’s prime minister even nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

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Still, Trump prefers one-on-one talks over big summits. With North Korea flexing its muscles and trade deadlines looming, the pressure is on to deliver.