King Charles Welcomes South Korea’s President with State Banquet

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (2nd from R) and his wife, Kim Keon Hee (R), alongside King Charles III (2nd from L) and Queen Camilla, pose for a photo ahead of a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain, 21 November 2023. (EPA/Yonhap)
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (2nd from R) and his wife, Kim Keon Hee (R), alongside King Charles III (2nd from L) and Queen Camilla, pose for a photo ahead of a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain, 21 November 2023. (EPA/Yonhap)
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King Charles Welcomes South Korea’s President with State Banquet

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (2nd from R) and his wife, Kim Keon Hee (R), alongside King Charles III (2nd from L) and Queen Camilla, pose for a photo ahead of a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain, 21 November 2023. (EPA/Yonhap)
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (2nd from R) and his wife, Kim Keon Hee (R), alongside King Charles III (2nd from L) and Queen Camilla, pose for a photo ahead of a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain, 21 November 2023. (EPA/Yonhap)

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.



Smoke From Canadian Fires Reaches Europe, Says EU Climate Monitor

 This photo provided by the Manitoba government shows wildfires in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Manitoba government via AP)
This photo provided by the Manitoba government shows wildfires in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Manitoba government via AP)
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Smoke From Canadian Fires Reaches Europe, Says EU Climate Monitor

 This photo provided by the Manitoba government shows wildfires in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Manitoba government via AP)
This photo provided by the Manitoba government shows wildfires in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Manitoba government via AP)

Heavy smoke from intense wildfires in Canada has reached northwestern Europe, the European Union's climate monitoring service said on Tuesday.

The huge plumes are at very high altitude and do not pose an immediate health risk, it said in a statement.

"Smoke originating from the wildfires in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan has been transported across the Atlantic," the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) said.

Satellites tracked the smoke in mid-May, with some plumes reaching as far east as Greece and the eastern Mediterranean.

"A second, much larger, smoke plume crossed the Atlantic during the last week of May, reaching northwestern parts of Europe on June 1," CAMS said.

Additional plumes are expected to shade the continent in the coming days.

Wildfire smoke is comprised of gaseous pollutants such as carbon monoxide, along with water vapor and particle pollution, which can be particularly hazardous to health.

A high concentration of carbon monoxide is expected to pass over northwestern France, including the Paris Basin, on Tuesday.

The high-altitude smoke headed for Europe is not expected to have a significant impact on surface air quality, but is likely to result in hazy skies and reddish-orange sunsets.

Manitoba in central Canada is experiencing its worst start to the fire season in years due to drought, and Saskatchewan to the west declared a state of emergency at the end of May, evacuating thousands of residents.

"Central regions of Canada have experienced a very intense few weeks in terms of wildfire emissions," said Mark Parrington, scientific director at CAMS.

Canadian authorities have forecast a more intense fire season than usual this summer in central and western Canada, due in particular to severe or extreme drought.

Elsewhere, extensive forest fires have been raging in Russia's Far Eastern Federal District since early April, particularly east of Lake Baikal, generating carbon emissions of around 35 million tons, Copernicus reported.