South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to visit Britain on a four-day state visit, seeking to strengthen economic and security ties to address threats from North Korea and other regional challenges. This trip will be the first state visit hosted by Britain since the coronation of King Charles. President Yoon aims to enhance security cooperation with the West in light of conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, growing Russia-North Korea ties, and tensions in the South China Sea.
During his visit, President Yoon will be greeted with traditional ceremonies, including a guard of honour and a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace. He is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and sign an accord to expand bilateral partnership. President Yoon has expressed interest in deeper cooperation with Britain on geopolitical risks, supply chains, and energy security.
The visit to Britain comes after President Yoon’s participation in the APEC summit in San Francisco, where he highlighted the need for a coordinated response to the increasing military ties between North Korea and Russia. Following his time in Britain, President Yoon will head to France to garner support for South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo. The decision on the expo host is expected to be made by member states of the International Bureau of Expositions, with its headquarters in Paris.