Yoon Joins 'Expo' Hosting Race... Relaunches Sales Diplomacy

President Yoon to Make State Visit to the UK Next Month
State Visit to the Netherlands in December
Bilateral Talks with Leaders of 61 Countries in One Month

President Yoon Suk-yeol, following his active campaign last month to host the 2030 Busan World Expo, is set to begin sales diplomacy preparations starting from the Chuseok holiday.

According to the Presidential Office on the 2nd, President Yoon and the Presidential Office have each received state invitations from the kings of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and are proceeding with preparations to visit both countries.

The Presidential Office announced on the 26th of last month that President Yoon had been invited as a state guest by King Charles III of the United Kingdom and plans to visit in November. This marks the third time a South Korean president has been invited as a state guest to the UK, following former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun in December 2004 and Park Geun-hye in November 2013. On the same day, the Presidential Office also disclosed that it had received a state invitation from King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. This will be the first state visit to the Netherlands since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Netherlands in 1961, with the visit scheduled for December.

President Yoon Suk-yeol raises his hand while moving to review the troops at the 75th Armed Forces Day ceremony held at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of the 26th. Photo by Joint Press Corps

While last month's overseas trips secured support for the 2030 Busan Expo bid and laid the groundwork for new market access, the upcoming visits through the end of the year aim to achieve direct economic outcomes such as strengthening supply chain cooperation and securing exports and orders. Earlier, President Yoon held bilateral meetings with leaders from a total of 61 countries during the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit in Indonesia, the G20 Summit in India, and the United Nations General Assembly in the United States last month.

After returning from his visit to the United States, President Yoon emphasized the importance of overseas trips at the Cabinet meeting on the 25th of last month, stating, "As our economy is the most dependent on foreign markets in the world, we must navigate overseas markets as if they were our own home to invigorate the economy and create jobs." He added, "During my term, I will meet with the leaders of all countries where Korean citizens and companies have established a presence."

During the upcoming state visits to the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, President Yoon plans to focus on exports, securing orders, and stabilizing supply chains. The state visit to the UK, held to commemorate the 140th anniversary of Korea-UK diplomatic relations, is expected to strengthen economic and security partnerships, including the signing of various memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to enhance economic exchanges and cooperation. Earlier, Im Jong-deuk, the Second Deputy Director of the National Security Office, visited London from the 11th to the 16th of last month, meeting with officials from the UK National Security Office, Ministry of Defence, and Foreign Office to discuss cyber security and other issues. The UK government is currently promoting a project to build up to eight new nuclear power plants, which is expected to create opportunities for Korean nuclear power companies to participate.

The state visit to the Netherlands is anticipated to announce cooperation plans in various economic sectors such as energy and semiconductors between Korea and the Netherlands. During Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s official visit to Korea last November, President Yoon and Prime Minister Rutte elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership and agreed to strengthen cooperation in security, economy, and other areas.

Additionally, the Presidential Office and the government plan to resume the Korea-Japan-China summit within this year to discuss peace in Northeast Asia and trilateral economic cooperation. A Presidential Office official explained, "President Yoon will continue to act as Korea’s number one salesperson, communicating with various countries and personally working hard to secure exports and orders."