Seoul , South Korea ( CNN ) -- President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit the demilitarized zone that splits the Korean Peninsula in two for the first time on Sunday . His planned visit to the heavily fortified border is part of a three-day trip to South Korea to participate in a summit meeting about nuclear security in Seoul . Top officials from 54 countries including China and Russia will attend the summit meeting next week , but its message of international cooperation has been overshadowed by North Korea 's announcement last week that it is planning to carry out a rocket-powered satellite launch in April . South Korea has said it considers the satellite launch an attempt to develop a nuclear-armed missile , while the United States has warned the move would jeopardize a food-aid agreement reached with Pyongyang in early March . North Korea says it has a right to a peaceful space program and has invited international space experts and journalists to witness the launch . Against that tense backdrop , Obama will visit the demilitarized zone and meet with some of the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea , two of his top national security advisers said Tuesday during a conference call . The `` fundamental message '' of the visit is `` underscoring the president 's support for the American troops who are serving on the Korean Peninsula , and our support for the Republic of Korea , our very close and strong treaty ally , '' said Ben Rhodes , deputy national security adviser , using South Korea 's official name . Although Obama himself has not been to the demilitarized zone during his two previous trips to South Korea as president , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton paid a visit to the area in 2010 . And Obama 's predecessor , George W. Bush , used binoculars to peer into North Korea from a sandbagged bunker on the southern side of the border in 2002 . The date of Obama 's visit `` is virtually two years to the day '' since the sinking of the South Korean warship , the Cheonan , which left 46 Southern sailors dead , said Daniel Russel , director for Japan , South Korea , and North Korea at the U.S. National Security Council . South Korea says a North Korean torpedo attack was to blame for the ship 's sinking . The North has denied the accusation . In a dramatic reminder of the U.S. military presence in South Korea , an American F16 fighter jet crashed Wednesday near Kunsan airbase on the western coast of South Korea . The jet 's pilot safely ejected before the crash , and no casualties were reported , said Maj. Eric Badger , public affairs officer of the 7th Air Force . CNN 's Paula Hancocks , Jethro Mullen and Bob Kovach contributed to this report .
NEW : U.S. fighter jet crashes in South Korea ; pilot safely ejects . President Obama visits South Korea next week for a nuclear security summit . While there , he plans to make his first visit to the demilitarized zone . North Korea 's announcement of a satellite launch has increased tensions in the region .