President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks with Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry President and CEO Martin Henkelmann during a luncheon with foreign businesses in Korea in Seoul, Wednesday. The presidential office said Yoon delayed his trip to Germany and Denmark scheduled next week without specifying reasons. Courtesy of presidential office
President Yoon Suk Yeol abruptly postponed his planned trips to Germany and Denmark, just days before his scheduled departure date.
The presidential office said on Wednesday that Yoon planned to visit Germany and Denmark next week, but decided to postpone the trips after reviewing various factors. The office declined to elaborate on the "various factors" and the specific reason for the delay, as well as the timing of the decision and other details related to the abrupt decision. Sources indicated that the office reached this conclusion after consultations with the visiting countries.
Reportedly, Yoon initially planned to make a state visit to Germany and an official visit to Denmark starting on Sunday. His trip to Germany was aimed at strengthening ties between small- and medium-sized enterprises of South Korea and Germany, while in Denmark, the president was anticipated to focus on bilateral cooperation in renewable energies, biomedicine and other industries.
President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee sit in a vehicle after arriving at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol for their state visit to the Netherlands, Dec. 12, 2023, which was the latest overseas trip that Yoon made. Yonhap
The unexpected decision caused disruptions among the diplomatic corps and business delegation that were scheduled to accompany the president on the trip.
"We were abruptly notified of the delay by the presidential office," an industry source familiar with the trip said on condition of anonymity. The source added that the presidential office did not provide any further explanation regarding the postponement.
Another source at a foreign company which was set to join the presidential trip said that his organization was not aware of the delay until Tuesday.
The embassies of Germany and Denmark in Seoul both did not respond to The Korea Times' inquiries regarding the reasons for the delay.
Regarding the reasons for the delay, rumors and speculation are already circulating, suggesting potential connections to South Korea's domestic political and social situations.
Yoon is currently grappling with negative public sentiment linked to controversies surrounding his wife, Kim Keon Hee, who has accompanied him on most of his overseas trips. Simultaneously, Seoul is preparing for general elections in April, the outcome of which will determine Yoon's ability to assert control over state affairs for the remainder of his presidency.
The decision to postpone the trips may have been influenced by unexpected situations and the potential for public criticism, particularly given past instances during Yoon's absence. For example, last July, Yoon extended his trip and made a surprise visit to Ukraine while massive floods caused havoc in some regions of South Korea. This drew significant criticism for what was perceived as neglecting public safety concerns.
Also, the nation is now at the brink of facing a large-scale strike by doctors and medical workers, as physicians strongly protest Yoon's push to increase the enrollment quota of medical schools.
President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee greet before returning home from Yoon's trip to France at Paris-Orly Airport, Nov. 25, 2023. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon
If the trips were to proceed, they would have marked Yoon's 16th overseas visit. Notably, this would have been the first time that Yoon has postponed or canceled a scheduled overseas trip.
There have been instances in the past where a South Korean president's trip was delayed, but in most cases, there were explanations provided that were publicly acceptable.
From the 1980s to the 2000s, former presidents delayed or canceled their trips for various reasons, including concerns about terrorist attacks or political issues in the hosting countries. For instance, in October 1983, then-President Chun Doo-hwan canceled his planned visits to Australia, New Zealand, India, and other countries following an assassination attempt by North Korea during his previous visit to Myanmar.
Former President Roh Tae-woo canceled his visit to Japan due to then-Japanese Emperor Hirohito's health condition in 1988, and former President Kim Dae-jung also called off his trip to the United States after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.
More recently, former President Lee Myung-bak delayed his visits to Mexico and African countries in 2010 due to the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan. Former President Park Geun-hye postponed her visit to the U.S. due to the domestic outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome in 2015.
Yoon's predecessor, Moon Jae-in, canceled his planned visits to the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Egypt in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.