Visit Keywords: Value Solidarity with Liberal Democracies, Economic Security, Contribution Diplomacy
Elizabeth II State Funeral, UN General Assembly, Korea-Canada Summit, and Other Schedules
US-Korea and Korea-Japan Summits Also Planned
Sales Diplomacy Schedule in the US
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Seok-yeol embarked on a 7-day, 5-night official trip to three countries? the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada?on the 18th. This marks his second overseas visit following his attendance at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Madrid, Spain, in June since his inauguration.
On the morning of the 18th, President Yoon departed for London, UK, via Seongnam Seoul Airport. He was seen off by Chief Secretary Kim Dae-gi, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Lee Jin-bok, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party Jeong Jin-seok, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun-dong, and Commander of the Air Force 15th Special Mission Flight Group Kim Hyun-soo. Also present were Colin Crooks, British Ambassador to Korea; Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to Korea; and Tamara Mohyini, Charg? d’Affaires of the Canadian Embassy in Korea.
The key themes of President Yoon’s trip include value solidarity with countries sharing the core values of liberal democracy, strengthening economic security, and Korea’s contribution diplomacy.
On the evening of the 18th (local time), President Yoon will attend a reception hosted by King Charles III of the United Kingdom to express condolences on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. As leaders from various countries are expected to attend, encounters with foreign heads of state are anticipated.
Since the UK was the second-largest participant in the Korean War after the United States, with 56,000 troops deployed, President Yoon will also lay a wreath at the Korean War memorial.
On the following day, the 19th, he will attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral at Westminster Abbey in London before traveling to New York, USA.
On the 20th, President Yoon will deliver the keynote speech at the 77th United Nations General Assembly, scheduled to speak 10th among 185 countries. The speech is expected to take place between 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM local time.
President Yoon is expected to express Korea’s intention to make practical contributions to resolving future international issues. Additionally, he will focus on garnering international consensus on the Yoon administration’s new denuclearization plan for the Korean Peninsula, the “Bold Initiative.”
The Presidential Office also stated regarding the tone of President Yoon’s speech, "It will mention five factors?health, climate, supply chains, digital divide, and cultural deficiency?where Korea can make concrete contributions to the international community based on its accumulated capabilities, while confirming and specifying past contributions."
Summits between South Korea and the United States and South Korea and Japan are also planned. In particular, the South Korea-U.S. summit is expected to discuss issues such as the foreign exchange market and the reduction of subsidies for Korean electric vehicles due to the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). First Lady Kim Geon-hee will accompany the President, participating in events such as a gathering with Korean expatriates and a reception hosted by President Biden, engaging in spousal diplomacy.
President Yoon will also conduct sales diplomacy in the United States. From the 20th to the 22nd, he will attend five events in New York: 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.
On the 22nd, President Yoon will leave the United States for Toronto, Canada, where he will hold a meeting with AI scholars, followed by a South Korea-Canada summit with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa.
The main purpose of President Yoon’s visit to Canada is to strengthen cooperation in critical mineral supply chains and the AI sector. Canada is rich in essential minerals for secondary batteries such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt, and is home to one of the world’s leading AI ecosystems centered around the University of Toronto, making enhanced cooperation necessary, according to the Presidential Office.
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