Finance minister abruptly calls off G20 trip amid Cabinet reshuffle speculation

Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol abruptly terminated his scheduled trip to the United States to attend the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting at Incheon International Airport on Sunday, according to government sources. Koo was originally set to travel to Asheville, North Carolina, to engage in bilateral discussions with finance officials from various nations, including U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

However, the last-minute cancellation, which was both surprising and highly uncommon, came as Koo had already reached the airport. Photographers were present to capture his departure, and some media outlets had already published images of Koo prior to his planned flight. The Ministry of Finance and Economy had prepared a press release announcing his departure but promptly withdrew it just before its release.

The ministry explained the cancellation as a change in schedule and apologized for the lack of notice, attributing the decision to no issues involving the ministry or the G20.