President Lee Jaemyung met with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband, who are on an official visit to Korea, at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 15th, according to the presidential office.
On this day, President Lee said, "Korea and Sweden have a truly special relationship. For the Korean people, Sweden feels very familiar and warm," adding, "Sweden is also a model of the welfare state that Korea aspires to become." President Lee continued, "Personally, I have a special affection for Sweden thanks to ABBA and author Han Kang."
In response, Crown Princess Victoria said, "This is an important visit I have been looking forward to," and called it "a great opportunity to further develop the relationship between our two countries." When President Lee mentioned that she would be staying in Korea until the 17th, he added, "It's a pity the time is short, but this is the perfect season in Korea," and joked, "Though I am not sure if it is better than Sweden." Crown Princess Victoria replied, "Just looking at today, it was an incredibly beautiful day."
During a closed-door conversation, President Lee said, "There will be many opportunities for cooperation between Korea and Sweden in fields such as advanced technology and renewable energy," and wished for the success of the Crown Princess's various engagements in Korea, according to a written briefing by presidential spokesperson Kang Yujeong.
President Lee also said, "We highly appreciate Sweden's contributions to peace on the Korean Peninsula, such as dispatching a medical support team during the Korean War and operating special envoys to the peninsula," and added, "We hope to continue close cooperation for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula." In response, Crown Princess Victoria said, "During this visit, meetings between the business communities of both countries will take place through the Korea-Sweden Sustainable Partnership Summit and other events," and expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries would expand into new areas such as green transition and energy.
Crown Princess Victoria also said, "I am pleased that cooperation between Korea and Sweden, though modest, has contributed to the global spread of Korean culture," and noted, "K-pop and other aspects of Korean culture are also very popular in Sweden."
Meanwhile, Crown Princess Victoria and her husband, who are leading an economic delegation and visiting Korea until the 17th, plan to visit Panmunjom, attend the Korea-Sweden Sustainable Partnership Summit, and visit the Swedish War Veterans Memorial in Busan, among other engagements.
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