Rubio’s last-minute cancellation adds uncertainty to US–South Korea ties

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives for a press conference with the Indo-Pacific Quad at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 2025. Also attending were Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (not pictured)./AFP-Yonhap

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has canceled his planned visit to South Korea next week, marking the first time a high-level American official has scrapped a trip to Seoul since President Lee Jae-myung took office earlier this year.

Rubio had been scheduled to arrive on July 8 or 9 for talks with President Lee, and both governments had been coordinating the visit. But on July 3 (July 2 in Washington), just five days before the trip, the U.S. State Department informed South Korean officials that it would not proceed, citing “domestic developments,” according to people familiar with the matter.

In a brief statement, the presidential office confirmed the postponement, saying the two countries had “been discussing the possibility of Secretary Rubio’s visit,” but that “due to internal U.S. circumstances, the trip will not happen in the near future.” The statement added that Seoul and Washington would “continue close consultations on high-level exchanges.”

Rubio is still expected to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur on July 10, as originally planned.

The abrupt cancellation has raised questions among diplomatic observers, particularly as President Lee’s first official visit to Washington—and a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump—remains unconfirmed. The delays have prompted speculation about underlying strains in the U.S.–South Korea alliance, despite public statements emphasizing cooperation.

The development comes as China moves to deepen its own outreach to Seoul. Beijing has formally invited President Lee to attend Victory Day celebrations in Tiananmen Square on September 3. Earlier this week, the presidential office confirmed ongoing communication with Chinese officials about the potential visit, but declined to offer further details.

[Roh Suk-jo]

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