On the first day of the state visit, the King's warm hospitality continued... To Yoon: "We have not forgotten the past and have opened the future"

King Alexander "President Yoon Welcomed for Efforts Toward International Legal Order"
Mentions K-pop, K-movie, K-drama, K-food, K-bloggers as "The Best"
Yoon "Important Footsteps in Bilateral Friendship... Will Be a Great Partner"

King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands, during his state visit, told President Yoon Suk-yeol, "I welcome your efforts for the international legal order," and said, "You have not forgotten the past and have opened the path to the future." President Yoon, the first Korean president to make a state visit to the Netherlands, received the king's warmest hospitality from the very first day of the official schedule.

On the morning of the 12th (local time) at Dam Square in Amsterdam, during the official welcoming ceremony, the Dutch side fired 21 gun salutes as the highest honor for a foreign head of state. The national anthems of South Korea and the Netherlands were played in sequence, and President Yoon inspected the honor guard together with King Alexander. Along the path from the square to the monument, the color guard, military band, and honor guard lined up on both sides.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, who are on a state visit to the Netherlands, are applauding together with King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at the state banquet held at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on the 12th (local time).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

King Alexander accompanied President Yoon throughout the day's schedule. At the headquarters of the global semiconductor equipment company ASML, which they visited after the welcoming ceremony, King Alexander expressed his intention to strengthen cooperation, saying, "The cooperative relationship between our two countries is intertwined in multiple layers and continues to develop," and "The core of our cooperation is semiconductors."

At the state banquet, referring to President Yoon's 'leadership,' he evaluated, "You have not forgotten the past and have opened the path to the future. This is exactly what the world needs and also inspires us." He added, "It is invaluable to have a reliable partner like you working with us for peace, security, and development."

Regarding the Republic of Korea, he said, "It seems the Korean wave is sweeping through the Netherlands," and "Traces of Korea can be seen everywhere." He then mentioned K-pop, K-movies, K-dramas, K-food, and K-bloggers one by one, calling them "the best."

President Yoon also responded to King Alexander, saying, "In 2014, as the first Dutch head of state to make a state visit to Korea, you left an important mark on the friendship between our two countries," expressing the will for cooperation between the two nations. President Yoon said, "The state banquet held today, one year later, symbolically shows that the relationship between our two countries is at its best," and expressed confidence that "the Republic of Korea and the Netherlands will be the finest partners leading the global free alliance based on universal values."

He also pointed out cooperation in the fields of semiconductors, nuclear power, AI (artificial intelligence), and digital technology. President Yoon said, "Based on the friendship forged through war, our two countries have developed a strong and multi-layered cooperation," and "Last year, trade volume between our two countries reached a record high of 16 billion dollars, and now cooperation is expanding into future industries." Additionally, President Yoon drew attention by mentioning Guus Hiddink, former coach of the South Korean national football team, who attended the banquet. President Yoon said, "At the center of the 2002 World Cup semifinal miracle that warmed the hearts of the Korean people was the renowned Dutch coach Guus Hiddink."