"At the last minute they realized that optically it wasn’t playing very well in public for them, so they put out a statement that we didn’t have dinner because I was tired," Tillerson said. | AP Photo Tillerson rebuts 'fatigue' reports: South Korea 'never invited us for dinner'

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson denied reports in South Korean media outlets that he did not dine with the country's officials due to "fatigue" on a leg of his Asia trip, according to an interview published Saturday.

"They never invited us for dinner, then at the last minute they realized that optically it wasn’t playing very well in public for them, so they put out a statement that we didn’t have dinner because I was tired," Tillerson told Independent Journal Review's Erin McPike during a sit-down interview in which Tillerson also said he's "not a big media press access person."


The State Department was criticized after it initially announced no reporters from U.S. outlets would be traveling with Tillerson on his trip to South Korea, Japan and China. It was later revealed that McPike would be traveling with Tillerson. But McPike was not considered a pool reporter and did not provide regular updates.

A report Friday in the Korea Herald said that Tillerson "shortened diplomatic consultations and public events in Seoul." The former Exxon Mobil executive also did not dine with Hwang Kyo-ahn, the South Korean acting president, and Yun Byung-se, the country’s foreign minister.

The Korea Herald cited Seoul officials saying that Tillerson opted not to dine with the officials as a result of "fatigue."

When asked whether the Seoul officials lied, Tillerson said "it was just their explanation."

The secretary of state went on to say that he did have dinner that night, but did not disclose with whom.

"The host country decides whether we are going to do things or not," Tillerson told McPike. "We didn’t decide that."

The Korea Herald noted that during Tillerson's visit to Japan, he spent several hours meeting with Japanese officials, which included dinner meetings. Tillerson also cited a transitional government in Seoul — following the recent impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye — as a reason for lesser contact with officials there.

Tillerson also said during the interview with McPike that he is "not a big media press access person."

"I’m not a big media press access person. I personally don’t need it," Tillerson told McPike. "I understand it’s important to get the message of what we’re doing out, but I also think there’s only a purpose in getting the message out when there’s something to be done."

Tillerson said that when the State Department is "ready to talk about what we’re trying to do, I will be available to talk to people."

"But doing daily availability, I don’t have this appetite or hunger to be that, have a lot of things, have a lot of quotes in the paper or be more visible with the media," Tillerson said. "I view that the relationship that I want to have with the media, is the media is very important to help me communicate not just to the American people, but to others in the world that are listening.

"And when I have something important and useful to say, I know where everybody is and I know how to go out there and say it."