Yoon Suk Yeol Pays a Visit to the UK, the US, and Canada

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will pay a visit to the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, in that order.

The director of the South Korean National Security Office, Kim Sung-han, said in a Press conference that “the purpose of the tour is to strengthen solidarity among partner countries that share fundamental values ​​and broaden the base of the economic diplomacy«.

In London, President Yoon will attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral at Westminster Abbey as the first act of his tour.

“The President will honor the memory of Queen Elizabeth II, who led the United Kingdom for the past seven decades, and offer his deep condolences to the British people and the royal family,” Director Kim said.

“The United Kingdom sent the second largest contingent of troops during the Korean War, after the United States, and some 4,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded,” the director added. “This country shares key values ​​with Korea to this day and is an ally with whom we cooperate closely.”

Costa Rica present at the United Nations General Assembly

President Yoon will “naturally” hold talks with the leaders of major liberal democracies who will attend the funeral to “pursue the international community’s solidarity for freedom and peace,” Director Kim said.

After visiting London, Yoon will be heading to New York.

There, the South Korean president will deliver a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, and bilateral talks with other participating leaders, a meeting with the UN secretary-general and a meeting of ethnic Korean residents in New York are being prepared.

Addressing President Yoon’s first speech to the UN General Assembly since taking office, Director Kim said, “The theme of this General Assembly is to find transformative solutions to complicated challenges, in the belief that the international community stands at an unprecedented turning point, a ‘decisive moment'”.

“In his speech, President Yoon is expected to introduce the ROK’s role as a world leader that substantially contributes to solving international problems and takes the lead in building a world order based on universal values.”

Excluding the queen’s funeral and assembly, other events on the president’s tour of the three countries will focus on “economic diplomacy” to secure growth engines for Korea and promote international cooperation in cutting-edge industries.

As for Canada, the last leg of the Chief Executive’s trip, the director described the North American country as “the second largest supplier of mineral resources, a key producer of essential minerals for secondary batteries and electric vehicles, such as lithium, nickel and cobalt, and leader in AI,” adding that “Korean companies are driving large-scale investment in the Canadian battery sector.”

“The visit to Canada will provide an opportunity to deepen bilateral cooperation in the digital sector and artificial intelligence, ensure a stable and resilient supply chain for basic minerals, and strengthen economic security.”