S. Korean president to participate in tripartite summit with China, Japan: office

South Korean President Park Geun-hye plans to participate in the tripartite regional summit meeting with China and Japan if schedules are fixed, Park's office said Friday.

Presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk told reporters that he believes Park will take part in the tripartite talks if schedules are fixed, saying Japan, the host nation this year, hasn't determined a meeting date yet.

His comments confirmed the press briefing offered by Seoul's foreign ministry spokesman who said Thursday that Park will attend the meeting as her absence would cause diplomatic losses.

According to Japanese news media reports, Japan suggested holding the trilateral meeting in Tokyo for two days from Dec. 19.

China, Japan and South Korea launched the summit talks in 2008, taking turns in hosting the meetings until Japan's diplomatic ties with China and South Korea turned sour in 2012 for historical and territorial disputes.

The summit meeting was resumed in Seoul in November last year after a three-and-a-half-year hiatus.

Uncertainties remain whether President Park could sit face-to-face with the leaders of China and Japan as Park is embroiled in a political scandal involving her longtime confidante and former aides.

Opposition parties and a number of Park's ruling Saenuri Party members have demanded Park step down or be impeached. Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets every weekend, calling for the scandal-hit president's resignation. Enditem