PORT MORESBY, May 12, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko stepped down Friday following criticism of his state-funded trip to King Charles III's coronation and for calling his detractors "primitive animals".

Earlier this week, a flashy TikTok video of the trip posted by Tkatchenko's daughter, who accompanied him to London, angered residents of the Pacific nation where 40 percent live in poverty according to the World Bank.

In the since-deleted video, Savannah Tkatchenko, filmed her "elite" visit to luxury fashion stores in Singapore and her meal in the "stunning" first-class lounge on her way to London.

But Tkatchenko responded to his critics by labelling them "primitive animals" with "nothing better to do," intensifying the furore and fuelling calls for his resignation.

"I have stood aside as the Foreign Minister after consulting the Prime Minister," the Australian-born politician said in a statement on Friday.
"I want to make sure the recent events do not interfere with the Official Visits and Summits we are going to have with all the World Leaders in the coming weeks."

He would ensure "misinformation" and "lies" were corrected around the trip, he added.

Prime Minister James Marape would take over the role of foreign minister.
Tkatchenko had lashed out at his critics on Wednesday while speaking to Australia's national broadcaster.

"My daughter now is totally devastated. She is traumatised by some of the most ridiculous and useless comments that I've seen," he told the ABC.
Marape acknowledged the minister had stepped aside from his role in the face of "public uproar" over the video and a "poor choice of words".

"I want to commend the Minister for putting the interest of the country ahead of his own," Marape said in a statement.

The scandal comes 10 days before US President Joe Biden is due to fly into Port Moresby for a meeting with Pacific leaders.