Which world leaders are skipping APEC summit?

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — As leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies begin arriving in Korea for this week's summit in Gyeongju, several heads of state are notably skipping the event. As the host nation, Korea extended invitations earlier this year to the leaders of all member economies. But for various reasons, a number of leaders will be absent during the two-day APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for Friday and Saturday, according to diplomatic sources. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will not attend, with Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard representing the country instead. While the reason for her absence remains unclear, some sources cited logistical challenges, noting that Mexico's lack of a presidential jet limits the leader's ability to travel long distances. Former President Andres Manuel López Obrador sold the presidential aircraft in 2023 due to high maintenance costs, and the Mexican presidential office has since relied on commercial flights for overseas trips. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also skipping the summitWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times