She’s wheels up from Seoul, South Korea. Pilots around Anchorage will be observing a FAA Temporary Flight Restriction on Thursday morning, due to the incoming flight of Air Force 2, with Vice President Kamala Harris on board, fresh from her trip to Japan and South Korea.
The restriction starts at 16:30 UTC, or about 8:30 am Alaska time, until about 11:45 am. Last week a TFR was in place when Harris was en route to Japan for the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and for a diplomatic trip to South Korea. The stopover at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson is a routine fuel stop. Harris is not scheduled to leave Air Force 2 to meet with local officials.
While in South Korea, Harris met with President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul and visited the visit the Demilitarized Zone, also known as the DMZ, on Thursday, in what is being characterized by the White House as a “symbolic” visit. The DMZ is the border that divides North and South Korea.
During her visit with President Yeol and his officials, the Koreans relayed to Harris their concern regarding the Inflation Reduction Act and its tax incentives for electric vehicles. Vehicle manufacturing is one of Korea’s main industries and exports and the act is expected to have a negative impact on South Korea.
Harris’ visit to the DMZ came at the same time North Korea launched two test short-range ballistic missiles.
During her visit to the DMZ, Harris accidentally reinforced the United States’ strong alliance with the “Republic of North Korea,” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” which is South Korea. “The United States shares a very important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea,” she said.
