Published November 08, 2016
South Korean President Park Geun-hye has decided not to attend an Asia-Pacific leaders' meeting in Peru next week as she struggles with political turmoil at home over allegations she allowed a shadowy longtime confidante to manipulate state affairs.
The Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Park will be the first South Korean president to miss an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit since the annual meetings began in 1993.
The ministry said Park's replacement for the meetings will be named next week.
Presidential spokesman Kim Dong-jo said Park made the decision to skip the APEC summit in September to focus on issues created by North Korea's strengthening nuclear weapons and missiles programs.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/s-korea-president-to-miss-apec-summit-amid-political-turmoil