South Korea

Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) during her trip to South Korea on Thursday, U.S. and South Korean officials said.

[Biden to host France's Macron for first state visit of his admin](/2022/09/26/macron-biden-state-visit) [Protests as Japan honors assassinated former PM Abe with state funeral](/2022/09/27/japan-honors-shinzo-abe-state-funeral) [since this summer](https://www.axios.com/2022/06/06/south-korea-us-launch-missiles-north-korea), when it launched eight short-range missiles, the [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/24/world/asia/north-korea-ballistic-missile-launch.html) reports. and South Korean officials](https://www.axios.com/2022/06/23/north-korea-nuclear-test-looms-us-south-defense)have warned for months that North Korea appears to be preparing its seventh nuclear weapons test. 1, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed at a press briefing Monday. [French President Emmanuel Macron](https://www.axios.com/2022/04/24/france-macron-wins-reelection-le-pen-runoff-results) and his wife, Brigitte, for a state visit on Dec. [North Korea adopts more aggressive nuclear position](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/09/north-korea-new-nuclear-weapons-law) [veiled threat to use nuclear weapons](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/21/putin-announces-partial-military-mobilization-for-russian-citizens) last week, though the UN chief did not specifically name [Russia](https://www.axios.com/world/russia) or Putin. commanders," the official added. [in a speech](https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2022-09-26/secretary-generals-remarks-for-the-international-day-for-the-total-elimination-of-nuclear-weapons) on Monday. [launched joint military exercises](https://www.cpf.navy.mil/Newsroom/News/Article/3171009/republic-of-korea-and-united-states-navies-conduct-joint-maritime-counter-speci/)with the South Korean navy on Monday after [arriving on the peninsula](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/19/us-aircraft-carrier-south-korea-north-korea)late last week. [first announced](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/09/27/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-and-prime-minister-han-duck-soo-of-the-republic-of-korea-before-bilateral-meeting/) the vice president's DMZ trip during a meeting with Harris on Tuesday, saying, "I think your visit to DMZ in Seoul is a real — a very symbolic demonstration of your strong commitment to the security and peace on the Korean Peninsula."