The King and Queen greeted the president and the first lady
During their visit to the United Kingdom
President Yoon, First Lady accorded warm welcome in the UK
President Yoon Suk-Yeol of the Republic of Kora and First Lady Kim Keon-Hee were accorded a warm welcome from King Charles III and Queen Camilla as they began their state visit to Britain in November this year.
According to reports by Yonhap News of Korea, the ceremony began with Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton arriving at the hotel in London where President and Mrs. Yoon stayed in London to travel with them to Horse Guards Parade, where the official welcome took place amid a 41-gun salute and an inspection of the Guard of Honor.
The King and Queen greeted the president and the first lady at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade, before King Charles introduced palace and government officials to Yoon.
Yoon could also be seen shaking hands and exchanging greetings with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
President Yoon and First Lady Kim were Britain's first state guests since the king's coronation in May. Their visit marked the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The ceremony was followed by a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace.
Yoon and King Charles rode in a golden carriage along The Mall, joined only by their interpreters.
First Lady Kim and Queen Camilla rode in a carriage behind them, followed by five more carriages carrying Prince William and his wife, as well as the president's entourage.
The road to Buckingham Palace was lined with South Korean and British national flags, while people gathered on the sides to watch the royal event.
At the palace, King Charles hosted a private lunch for Yoon and Kim, which was attended by around 50 people.
Yoon noted that South Korea and Britain are "blood allies" who fought together during the 1950-53 Korean War, and that Britain was the second-largest sending state after the United States, according to the presidential office.
He expressed his deep gratitude for the noble sacrifices of the British troops in defending South Korea's liberal democracy and peace.
President Yoon and King Charles agreed that their countries' shared universal values are the firm foundation for the bilateral relationship and expressed their wish to strengthen cooperation not only for the development of bilateral relations but also for the promotion of freedom, peace and prosperity in the world, the presidential office said.
The luncheon was followed by an exchange of gifts and a viewing of an exhibition of items related to South Korea from the Royal Collection.
Later in the day, Yoon and the first lady laid a wreath at the Korean War Memorial in front of British veterans of the Korean War and the Duke of Gloucester, marking the 70th anniversary of the armistice that ended fighting in the conflict.
They then visited Westminster Abbey, where they laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. Yoon signed a guest book in English with the words, "Your Dedication to Freedom and Justice will be Remembered Forever."
President Yoon also delivered a speech before the British parliament and met with Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats political party.
A state banquet at Buckingham Palace wrapped up the day, with more than 170 people in attendance, including Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and K-pop group BLACKPINK.
Both Yoon and King Charles gave speeches at the start of the banquet, exchanging lines from works by some of their countries' most revered writers.
ROK-UK relations:
According to the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United King is the cradle of parliamentary democracy, the country of Shakespeare and the Beatles and the host of the Premier League and the Wimbledon Tennis Championship.
Korea’s relationship with the United Kingdom began in 1883 when the UK became the second Western power to conclude an agreement with Korea when the two countries signed the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation. Korea greatly appreciates celebrating the 140th anniversary of this event which occur in 2023.
But it was during the Korean War that our modern relationship was truly forged. The UK sent the second largest contingent of troops, more than 80,000 men, to ward off communist aggression, and, in so doing, they helped lay the foundations for the country Korea has become today. The courage and sacrifice of those troops is commemorated by the Gloucester Valley Battle Monument in Paju, Korea, and the Korean War Memorial in Victoria Embankment Gardens alongside the river Thames.
The bilateral relationship has now blossomed into a bond between very like-minded countries who share common values including freedom, human rights and a commitment to the rule of law. Our bilateral ties have gone from strength to strength since 1883 and, today, our two countries work more closely than ever on issues affecting international relations, economics, culture, science and education among many other areas.
As one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and as a key member of NATO, the G7, the G20 and the Commonwealth, the UK has been playing a leading role on issues including regional security in Europe, Africa and the Middle East and global issues such as sustainable development and climate change.
In 2022, the leaders of the two countries concluded the ‘Republic of Korea-UK Bilateral Framework for Closer Cooperation’ in global public goods, trade, defense and security areas among others. The framework will be the foundation to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in additional areas such as economic security, new technology, nuclear energy and climate change.
Furthermore, Korea will continue to work together towards the peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue and the establishment of a lasting peace on the Korean peninsula.
The Free Trade Agreement between Korea and the UK came into effect in 2021 and we are set to start negotiations for an enhanced deal within this year, ensuring a stable economic partnership between the two countries and enabling many Korean companies in diverse sectors such as finance, automobiles, home electronics, petroleum and gas, shipbuilding, marine transport and distribution to continue conducting business in the UK.
Furthermore, followed by the establishment of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in July 2021, the Republic of Korea has successfully been elected as a member of the Category (a) Council group of the IMO for the 11th consecutive term at the 32nd session of the IMO Assembly held in London on December 10th 2021. As a Council Member, Korea will continue to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships and establishing global standards for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS).
British people‘s growing interest in Korean culture can be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s ‘Hallyu! The Korean Wave’ exhibition which will continue until June 2023. This interest in Korea is expanding to include Korean language, Korean food, and Korean culture in general. The Korean Cultural Centre, located next to Trafalgar Square, seeks to meet that interest and create opportunities for young Korean and British people to foster a mutual understanding of each other through a variety of cultural events.
As the bilateral relationship becomes stronger, the Korean community, estimated to number around 40,000 in the UK, will be able to find more opportunities to grow as well. Korea will continue to strive to promote the safety and interests of Korean nationals residing in or visiting the UK.