0
President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump walk past a model of the Cheonmachong gold crown at the Gyeongju National Museum on October 29 during Trump’s state visit to South Korea. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung canceled his schedule on November 5 to rest after coming down with a cold and flu symptoms, following an intense stretch of diplomatic events that included the APEC Summit and back-to-back meetings with U.S., Japanese and Chinese leaders.

According to the presidential office, Lee had planned to host a luncheon with firefighters at the Yongsan presidential compound but decided to call it off for health reasons. Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik attended the event on his behalf.

“The planned luncheon to honor firefighting personnel will proceed under the chief of staff’s supervision,” the presidential spokesperson’s office announced in a statement.

Lee reportedly told aides during a Cabinet meeting on November 4 that he was suffering from “a severe cold and body aches,” asking for their understanding.

During his policy address at the National Assembly the same day, Lee reflected on last week’s packed diplomatic schedule, saying he had “poured his soul into achieving the best possible outcomes under the worst circumstances.”

Observers said Lee’s recent diplomatic push — from hosting the APEC Summit in Gyeongju to summit talks with President Trump, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Xi Jinping — likely contributed to his exhaustion.