S. Korean President to skip NATO summit due to domestic issues, Middle East crisis
President Lee Jae Myung will not attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit scheduled for this week in the Netherlands, citing domestic priorities and growing uncertainty in the Middle East, the presidential office said Sunday, Yonhap reports.
Lee had considered participating in the summit, which is set to take place from Tuesday to Wednesday in The Hague, with hopes of meeting U.S. President Donald Trump.
But Lee ultimately decided not to attend the meeting following the United States' recent strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, according to his office.
"Despite the numerous pressing state affairs following the president's inauguration, the government had actively considered President Lee's attendance at the NATO summit," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.
"However, after comprehensively reviewing various domestic matters and the volatile situation in the Middle East, the president decided not to attend the summit," Kang added.
The potential participation of other government officials will be discussed in consultation with NATO, she noted.
Earlier, it was reported that South Korea's Leehas vowed efforts to swiftly restore dialogue channel with North Korea.
