Princess Kate wows in red power outfit as greets South Korea’s President and First Lady for day of royal pomp and pageantry – finished off with a lavish state banquet with the King and Queen
- King Charles and Camilla are hosting Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee
- First incoming state visit since King’s coronation and the second of his reign
The King and Queen will officially welcome the president of South Korea to the UK today and stage a glittering state banquet in his honour at Buckingham Palace.
Charles and Camilla are hosting Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee for the first incoming state visit since the King’s coronation and the second of his reign.
Prince William and Kate Middleton, who looked stunning in a red outfit, played a key role by greeting the President and the First Lady at their London hotel this morning.
The Prince and Princess of Wales travelled with Mr Yoon and Mrs Kim to a Horse Guards Parade ceremonial welcome, where the King and Queen were waiting.
A guard of honour, formed by F Company Scots Guards, will give a royal salute amid traditional pomp and pageantry and the King and Mr Yoon will inspect the troops.
Prince William and Kate Middleton stand at Horse Guards Parade in London this afternoon
Prince William and Kate post for a photograph with South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee at a hotel in Central London today
King Charles III and Queen Camilla wait for the welcome at Horse Guards Parade today
Kate arrives with Prince William to meet South Korea’s President at a hotel in London today
Kate Middleton speaks with South Korea’s First Lady Kim Keon Hee in a car in London today
The Princess of Wales attends the ceremonial welcome for South Korea’s President today
The Prince and Princess of Wales leave Buckingham Palace in London this morning
Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive at the hotel in London this morning for the state visit
Prince William and Kate Middleton leave Buckingham Palace in London this morning
King Charles III and Queen Camilla leave Buckingham Palace ahead of the welcome today
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are driven from Buckingham Palace this morning
King Charles III and Queen Camilla leave Buckingham Palace in London this morning
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Charles, Camilla, William and Kate and their guests will then travel in a carriage procession down The Mall to the Palace, before a private lunch and a visit to see Royal Collection exhibits in the Picture Gallery.
How Charles and Diana were branded ‘The Glums’ on their 1992 visit to South Korea
The King visited South Korea in November 1992 when Prince of Wales.
Charles carried out the tour with his then-wife, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Charles and Diana visit Seoul in 1992
However, the pair were branded ‘The Glums’ for looking ill at ease together.
One month later it was announced Charles and Diana were separating.
Later, Mr Yoon will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey and deliver an address in the Royal Gallery at the Palace of Westminster to members of both Houses of Parliament.
In the evening, 170 guests will gather for the banquet, customarily a white tie and tiara affair, in the opulent Palace ballroom.
The King and Queen are expected to be joined by William, Kate and other members of the royal family, while Charles and Mr Yoon will make speeches.
Foreign secretaries are also usually invited, meaning the newly appointed Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton is likely to make a return to dining at the royal residence, harking back to the days when he was prime minister.
Mr Yoon, 62, is a known fan of karaoke and in April belted out a verse of one of his favourite songs, American Pie, at a White House dinner at the request of President Joe Biden during a state visit to the US. He got a standing ovation.
Critics of Mr Yoon, a former prosecutor general, have accused him of suppressing freedom of speech during his 18-month presidency and cracking down on fault-finding news reports about him in the name of fighting ‘fake news’.
Mrs Kim, a 51-year-old former head of an art event-planning company, has also attracted controversy.
She made a televised public apology in 2021 after admitting exaggerating her professional credentials when applying for jobs at universities over a decade ago.
Mr Yoon and Mrs Kim made a low-key arrival at Stansted Airport yesterday.
The Mounted Household Cavalry gather on The Mall ahead of the ceremonial welcome today
Scenes outside Buckingham Palace in London this morning ahead of the ceremonial welcome
Foot Guards from F Company Scots Guards in formation ahead of the welcome today
Scenes on The Mall ahead of the ceremonial welcome for the President of South Korea today
Military personnel gather ahead of a ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade today
Members of the Mounted Life Guards Cavalry gather on The Mall ahead of the welcome today
Foot Guards from F Company Scots Guards in formation ahead of the welcome today
Scenes on The Mall ahead of the ceremonial welcome for the President of South Korea today
Foot Guards from F Company Scots Guards in formation ahead of the welcome today
Before his trip, Mr Yoon said the world is facing a ‘polycrisis’ of multiple conflicts and threats to humanity.
He told The Daily Telegraph that the wars in Ukraine and Israel, and rising tension with Russia, North Korea and in the South China Sea, have compelled him to seek ‘very close security co-operation’ with the West.
He secured a landmark deal with the US earlier this year to counter the North Korean nuclear threat.
Mr Yoon previously warned fellow world leaders about possible co-operation between North Korea and Russia after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The King and the South Korean President met last year at the reception for heads of state and official overseas guests at the Palace on the eve of the late Queen’s funeral.
Mr Yoon’s opponents accused him of being disrespectful during his trip to London after he missed the chance to view the late Queen’s coffin lying in state – which he blamed on heavy traffic.
(Left to right) Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary James Cleverly arrive for the ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade today
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak smiles as he waits with other official guests in London today
(Left to right) Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary James Cleverly arrive for the ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade today
Home Secretary James Cleverly arrives for the welcome at Horse Guards Parade today
(Left to right) Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary James Cleverly arrive for the ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade today
Lord David Cameron and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Horse Guards Parade today
He was also caught on microphone swearing after a chat with Mr Biden at the UN general assembly the following week, with the footage going viral in his home country.
Tomorrow, Mr Yoon will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Downing Street and also meet Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
The state visit follows the first incoming one of the King’s reign by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa last autumn.
Meanwhile, as part of Mr Yoon’s visit, the UK and South Korea are to launch talks on a new trade deal and sign a diplomatic accord.
Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch will begin negotiations with her Korean counterpart Bang Moon Kyu at the UK-Korea Business Forum at Mansion House tomorrow.
They will also announce £21billion of investments committed by Korean businesses in green energy and infrastructure projects across the UK.
Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron, South Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister Choo Kyung-ho and South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin pose for photographs after signing a joint Strategic Development Partnership agreement in London today
Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron, South Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister Choo Kyung-ho and South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin sign a joint Strategic Development Partnership agreement in London today
Foreign Secretary David Cameron (second left) meets Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin (second right) at 1 Carlton Gardens in London today on day one of the state visit to the UK
The UK secured a free trade deal with South Korea in 2019, with the agreement largely aimed at keeping trade flowing post-Brexit and removing uncertainty.
The UK hopes to secure modern digital provisions in a new deal because most of its services exports to Korea are delivered digitally.
Ms Badenoch said: ‘The Government is upgrading our trade deal with South Korea to ensure that our trading relationship plays to the UK’s strengths as an advanced, high-tech economy.
‘This refreshed, modernised deal will boost our world-leading services sector while also creating new opportunities for UK exports such as in our world-leading food and luxury goods sectors.’
Mr Yoon will hold a meeting with Mr Sunak and sign the new long-term agreement covering defence and technology co-operation in Downing Street tomorrow.
The Downing Street Accord follows similar agreements with Singapore and Japan, coming as the UK seeks to consolidate influence in the Indo-Pacific.
It will include a defence agreement that will boost the British and Korean militaries’ co-operation on countering smuggling in the East China Sea which North Korea relies on to evade sanctions.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: ‘The UK is leading the way in supporting our Korean friends in countering North Korea’s aggressive posturing and ensuring the safety and security of the Indo-Pacific.
‘Deepening the ties between the Royal Navy and Republic of Korea Navy, our bilateral defence relationship has never been stronger.’
Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron said: ‘This agreement – signed 70 years after the Korean War Armistice – is a truly unique step in the strengthening of our work to secure the security of the Korean Peninsula and the region. We are proud, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to be at the forefront of international sanctions enforcement activity.
Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon Hee arrive at London Stansted Airport yesterday for their visit
Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon Hee step off their plane at London Stansted Airport yesterday
Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon Hee arrives at London Stansted Airport in Essex yesterday
‘This incudes upholding international commitments to curtail North Korea’s illegal weapons programmes.’
Downing Street said the accord will also see the countries work closer together on technology such as artificial intelligence, semi-conductors and quantum.
Science ministers will also sign a memorandum of understanding to boost space co-operation.
South Korea will host next year’s AI summit after the first UK-backed gathering in Bletchley Park earlier this month.
The UK visit coincides with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the UK and Korea, as well as the 70th anniversary of the armistice of the Korean war.
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