Yoon-NATO Secretary General Meeting Postponed... Impact of Finland and Sweden Membership Discussions

Future Hosting Uncertain... Subsequent Schedule Delayed Due to Opposition to Turkey's Accession

(Madrid, Spain = Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan) The meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), has been postponed. Originally scheduled for the afternoon of the 28th (local time), the delay is due to prolonged negotiations among related countries over Finland and Sweden's NATO membership.

On the same day, a presidential office official explained at a briefing at the Madrid Press Center in Spain, "Turkey is strongly opposed to (Finland and Sweden's membership), so all subsequent schedules have been postponed," adding, "It is uncertain whether the meeting will be held tomorrow or the day after, but for now, it has been postponed." Currently, Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, President of T?rkiye, is known to oppose Finland and Sweden's NATO membership.

Meanwhile, it was reported that President Yoon waited at the meeting venue in the afternoon but left without attending.