U.S. officials have confirmed that President Barack Obama will visit the tense demilitarized zone between North and South Korea next week during a visit to Seoul. White House officials say Mr. Obama will visit with American forces Sunday at the DMZ, making it his first event before a high-profile Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.
In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said the main points of the DMZ visit are to show support for the more than 28,000 U.S. troops serving in Korea and to stress the U.S. security alliance with South Korea. He said the president's message to North Korea is the same as it has been throughout his administration, that by meeting its obligations and denuclearizing Pyongyang can follow a clear path to better relations with the international community.