Seoul: An anticipated summit between South Korean and Central Asian leaders has been delayed to 2026, as shared by a senior Seoul diplomat. This decision comes in the wake of political upheaval in South Korea, following a failed martial law attempt by the ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
According to Yonhap News Agency, First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo confirmed this postponement during a parliamentary session. He presented the ministry's second supplementary budget for the year, set at 4.23 trillion won (US$3.11 billion), which reflects a 1.4 percent decrease from the initial extra budget.
Park explained to lawmakers that after considering various factors, including the positions of Central Asian countries and South Korea's internal schedule, it was challenging to propose a feasible date for the summit within the current year. The failed martial law attempt by Yoon led to a snap election earlier this month, resulting in the election of President Lee Jae Myung. Yoon faced impeachment and removal from office in April.
Addressing the potential of a meeting between President Lee and U.S. President Donald Trump, Park mentioned that the government is working towards scheduling the summit at a time convenient for both leaders. On the topic of ongoing U.S. tariff negotiations, Park noted that the ministry is employing a "bottom-up" approach. This involves building consensus through working-level discussions with relevant U.S. authorities, aiming to meet a critical deadline.