President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are boarding Air Force One at Seongnam Seoul Airport on the morning of the 18th, greeting as they depart for a 7-day, 5-night visit to the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. (Photo by Yonhap News)
[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] President Yoon Suk-yeol departed for London, United Kingdom, on the morning of the 18th. President Yoon, who left through Seongnam Seoul Airport that morning, will visit London, UK; New York, USA; and Toronto and Ottawa, Canada, in sequence over a 5-night, 7-day schedule. This is his second overseas trip since taking office and his first official visit. Previously, President Yoon visited Madrid, Spain, at the end of June to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit.
On the 19th (local time), President Yoon will attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II held at Westminster Abbey in London, then move to New York, USA, where he will deliver a keynote speech at the United Nations General Assembly on the 20th. Bilateral meetings with the leaders of the United States and Japan are also planned. Subsequently, on the 23rd, he will hold a Korea-Canada summit with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa, Canada.
On the first day of the General Debate, where speeches by heads of state from 185 countries take place, President Yoon will be the 10th speaker at the podium on the 20th. He is expected to express Korea's intention to make practical contributions to resolving future international issues. Additionally, he will present the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's new North Korean nuclear solution, known as the 'Bold Initiative,' and focus on garnering international consensus.
Bilateral talks with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will also be conducted. The Korea-Japan summit will be the first under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Taking advantage of the multilateral diplomatic stage of the UN General Assembly, President Yoon is expected to engage with various world leaders in multiple ways.
During the Korea-U.S. summit with President Biden, follow-up measures regarding the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are expected to be discussed, while the bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau will focus on cooperation plans for economic security. Notably, Canada is considered a key counterpart in the supply chain of critical minerals for secondary batteries, such as lithium and nickel.
In New York, President Yoon will also participate in various economic-related events, including the Digital Vision Forum, a meeting with Korean-American scientists, the Korea-U.S. Startup Summit, the K-Brand Expo, and a North American investor roundtable.
First Lady Kim Geon-hee will accompany President Yoon on this trip, following the NATO summit. She is scheduled to attend diplomatic events alongside the president, such as the reception hosted by President Biden and meetings with the Korean diaspora.
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