Korean president gets a royal welcome during state visit to Britain

Diplomacy

Published: 22 Nov. 2023, 00:15 Updated: 22 Nov. 2023, 12:39

Korean president gets a royal welcome during state visit to Britain

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, and King Charles III speak as they leave by carriage following a welcome ceremony at Horse Guards Parade for Buckingham Palace in London Tuesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee received a ceremonial welcome from King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a state visit to Britain on Tuesday.

Prince William and Princess Catherine Middleton of Wales greeted Yoon and Kim at their hotel in London, accompanying them to Horse Guards Parade.

The king and the queen greeted the Korean presidential couple in a welcome ceremony featuring a 41-gun salute and a review of the Guard of Honor.

Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee, left, stand with Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla, center, along with Prince William and Princess Catherine of, right, during a ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade in central London on Tuesday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, center left, and King Charles, center right, inspect troops on Horse Guards Parade in London on Britain during an official welcome ceremony Tuesday. The visit by the Korean leader marks the first state visit hosted by Britain since King Charles' coronation. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Yoon also was greeted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during the ceremony.

Afterward, Yoon and Charles rode in a golden carriage along The Mall to Buckingham Palace.

Kim and Queen Camilla traveled in a carriage behind them, followed by the prince and princess and the presidential entourage, with people gathered in the streets to watch the royal carriage procession.

Charles hosted a welcome luncheon for Yoon and Kim at Buckingham Palace.

They also exchanged gifts and viewed an exhibition of items related to Korea from the Royal Collection at the palace.

Britain's King Charles, right, with Queen Camilla, shows President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and first lady Kim Keon Hee a display of Korean items from the Royal Collection inside Buckingham Palace in London Tuesday. [AP/YONHAP]

Yoon and Kim took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Korean War Memorial to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war. They also visited Westminster Abbey to lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.

Yoon was set to deliver an address in the Royal Gallery at the Palace of Westminster to both houses of the British parliament.

Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee watch as a wreath is placed at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey in central London on Tuesday during their state visit to London. [AFP)/YONHAP]

The king will later host a state banquet for some 170 Korean and British dignitaries at the palace ballroom on Tuesday evening.

Yoon and Kim arrived in Britain on Monday for a four-day state visit at the invitation of King Charles as a part of a two-country Europe trip that will take them to France later this week.

They are Britain's first state guests since the king's coronation in May.

This marks the first state visit by a Korean president in a decade.

Korean and British flags line The Mall in London during a military procession for the welcome ceremony for Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to mark his state visit to Britain Tuesday. [AP/YONHAP]

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]