King Charles III hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife at a glittering banquet at Buckingham Palace Tuesday, as Britain rolled out the red carpet for a formal state visit aimed at strengthening trade and defense ties between the two countries.
The UK government hopes the Korean leader's three-day visit will help cement an "Indo-Pacific tilt" in its foreign and trade policy.
The king and Queen Camilla hosted Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee at a sumptuous white tie and tiara banquet at Buckingham Palace, where Charles paid tribute to South Korea's political and economic advances and celebrated its culture. The monarch even singled out for praise the K-pop girl group Blackpink, whose members were among more than 170 guests in the grand ballroom.
"I applaud Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rose, better known collectively as Blackpink, for their role in bringing the message of environmental sustainability to a global audience," Charles said in his banquet speech. "I can only admire how they can prioritize these vital issues, as well as being global superstars."
"Sadly, when I was in Seoul all those years ago, I am not sure I developed much of what might be called the Gangnam Style!" he joked, referring to the global hit song by Korean rapper Psy.
Camilla donned the late Queen Elizabeth II 's ruby and diamond Burmese tiara and a red gown for the occasion, while Kate, the Princess of Wales, chose a white gown paired with what's known as the Strathmore Rose tiara. The headpiece had belonged to Elizabeth's mother, known as the Queen Mother.
Earlier Tuesday Charles and Camilla welcomed Yoon and his wife at Horse Guards Parade, a military parade ground in central London. Heir to the throne Prince William and government ministers also attended the welcome ceremony, where the king and president inspected rows of soldiers from the Scots Guards in gray tunics and bearskin hats.
The visiting couple traveled by horse-drawn coach down an avenue lined with British and Korean flags to Buckingham Palace.
Yoon also is scheduled to hold talks Wednesday with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak focused on trade, technology and defense. A defense agreement will see the two countries' navies work together to curb smuggling and to enforce UN sanctions imposed on North Korea to curb its nuclear weapons ambitions.
UK and Korean officials also will officially launch talks on an "upgraded" free trade agreement to replace their current deal, which largely replicates the arrangements the UK had before it left the European Union.
