Ivanka Trump, U.S. President Donald Trump’s first daughter and a senior advisor, is due in South Korea for the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics on Sunday, at a time when relationship between the two traditional allies have been weighed by differences over North Korean and trade policies.

According to the Blue House on Thursday, Ivanka Trump will arrive in Seoul on Friday and have dinner with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the same day. It remains to be seen whether she is carrying a message from her father about North Korea including the prospect of a dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington.

"I am honored to lead the U.S. delegation to the closing ceremonies of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics," said the first daughter who also holds official title in the White House in a statement.

Pyongyang had sent a high-profile delegation to the opening ceremony led by nominal state head Kim Yong-nam and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s younger sister Kim Yo-jong carrying an invitation for South Korean President Moon Jae-in for summit talks in Pyongyang. It is yet to disclose whether or whom it will be dispatching delegates for the closing event.

The Blue House declined to confirm a Washington Post report that the Kims called off a meeting with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence who led the earlier U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony at the last minute.

It is unknown whether Seoul is attempting to arrange another meeting while the younger Trump is here. Moon said the inter-Korean summit and progress in dialogue hinge on the improvement of ties between Pyongyang and Washington.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong will also be attending as Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special envoy.

By Kang Gye-man and Choi Mira

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]