Yoon to Visit US, UK, France, and Netherlands in November-December... Focus on 'Economic Diplomacy' at Year-End (Comprehensive)

Attending APEC Summit... "Strengthening Global Responsible Diplomacy"
Sequential Visits to UK and France... King Charles' First State Visit
Enhancing Digital and Cyber Cooperation... Expecting Substantial Collaboration
All-Out Effort in Paris from 23-25 Ahead of World Expo Host Selection

President Yoon Suk-yeol will embark on a tour of four countries? the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands?by the end of this year. Starting with the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit, where the possibility of a South Korea-China summit is drawing attention, both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands have been invited as state guests. Following the state visit to the UK, in Paris, France, President Yoon plans to make a final push to secure the hosting rights for the World Expo, with the final decision scheduled for the 28th.

Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the National Security Office, revealed President Yoon’s year-end tour schedule on the 8th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building. He emphasized that the summit tours are the optimal platform for Korean companies to penetrate overseas markets and that President Yoon intends to focus on economic diplomacy as Korea’s number one sales representative. The presidential office stressed that "the tour is directly linked to people’s livelihoods," highlighting that the ultimate goal of the summit visits is to support exports and orders for Korean companies and attract domestic investment, which in turn creates jobs and benefits the public.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Attending the World’s Largest Regional Cooperation Body... Discussing Economic Cooperation through Business Forums and Investment Reporting Ceremonies

First, President Yoon will attend the APEC summit held in San Francisco, USA, from the 15th to the 17th. APEC is the world’s largest regional cooperation body discussing economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, accounting for 60% of the world’s GDP and 48% of trade volume. South Korea led the launch of APEC in 1989 and will serve as chair in 2025.

On the 15th (local time), President Yoon will arrive in San Francisco and participate in a meeting with overseas Koreans, the APEC CEO Summit, an investment reporting ceremony, a welcome reception hosted by the host country, and a dialogue with the Korean future generation in advanced technology fields.

The APEC CEO Summit is a side event of the APEC summit, a business forum hosted by the US economic organizations as the chair country. This year’s summit, themed on sustainability, inclusiveness, resilience, and innovation, is expected to be attended by about 1,200 global business leaders and scholars. President Yoon will be the first Korean leader in 10 years to attend in person and will deliver a keynote speech on strengthening connectivity within APEC.

He will also attend the investment reporting ceremony to encourage advanced industry companies that have decided to invest in Korea. Economic Chief Secretary Choi Sang-mok explained in a briefing that this is "the fifth investment reporting ceremony held during a tour, following those in New York, Davos, Washington DC, and Paris." Regarding the dialogue with the Korean-American future generation, Chief Secretary Choi introduced that "President Yoon plans to listen to the opinions of about 100 Korean-American young scientists, technologists, and digital entrepreneurs on joint research aiming for world-class excellence and the activation of global expansion of domestic digital companies."

On the following day, the 16th, President Yoon will attend the first session of the APEC summit themed "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All," emphasizing the transition to clean energy, overcoming the climate crisis, Korea’s contributions, and solidarity measures among APEC member countries. His next schedule includes a dialogue with the APEC Business Advisory Council and attending the leaders’ dinner.

The APEC Business Advisory Council is the official private advisory body within APEC, established in 1995 to listen to the opinions of businesspeople in the Asia-Pacific region and reflect them in APEC discussions. It consists of three businesspeople appointed by each member country’s leader. Korea’s members include Son Kyung-sik, chairman of the Korea Employers Federation; Sung Sang-yeop, chairman of the Korea Venture Business Association; and Lee Hyung-hee, vice chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

On the morning of the last day, the 17th, President Yoon will attend the second session of the summit in a "retreat" format. A retreat meeting means exchanging opinions freely without formal constraints. The meeting will discuss cooperation measures to build an inclusive and resilient economy. President Yoon plans to explain Korea’s role in restoring the multilateral trading system amid the global complex crisis, strengthening regional supply chains, establishing digital ethics standards, and more.

Through this APEC diplomacy, President Yoon intends to strengthen Korea’s global responsible diplomacy. Previously, at the NATO summit, ASEAN, G20, and UN General Assembly, he emphasized Korea’s responsibility and role in contributing to global freedom, peace, and prosperity.

At this summit, President Yoon will present Korea’s climate change leadership in the Asia-Pacific region, including cooperation on clean energy transition, carbon-neutral energy collaboration with member countries, and support for climate-vulnerable countries in the region. He will also stress the need to restore the multilateral trading system, enhance supply chain connectivity, and establish digital ethics standards at this global economic turning point, declaring Korea’s intention to lead solidarity and cooperation.

Regarding the possibility of South Korea-China and US-China summits during the APEC summit, a presidential office official said, "The US-China summit is also under discussion, but there has been no official announcement yet, and South Korea is also discussing several summits. At this point, it is not the stage to say with which countries and how many summits will take place."

State Visit to the UK from the 20th to 23rd... Focus on New Markets and Supply Chain Building, Final Push in Paris

President Yoon’s state visit to the UK will take place immediately after attending the APEC summit. The visit is scheduled from the 20th to the 23rd and was arranged upon the invitation of King Charles III of the UK, marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and the UK. It is the first state visit invitation following King Charles’s coronation, with a speech at the UK Parliament and a summit meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak planned.

The day before, King Charles III gave the "King’s Speech" at the UK Parliament for the first time in 70 years, expressing anticipation for President Yoon and his spouse’s state visit. During the four-day, three-night stay in the UK, President Yoon will attend a meeting with overseas Koreans, official state visit events, a speech at Parliament, meetings with the speakers of both Houses, and a summit with Prime Minister Sunak. Deputy Director Kim said, "The two countries plan to discuss ways to strengthen strategic cooperation in various fields such as digital, AI, cyber, security, nuclear power, defense industry, bio, space, semiconductors, offshore wind power, and clean energy," adding that "a document outlining future cooperation directions will also be adopted."

Chief Secretary Choi identified the economic keywords of the UK state visit as ▲securing new markets ▲supply chains ▲advanced science and technology ▲carbon-neutral energy alliances. Especially since the UK is the world’s sixth-largest market, it holds great significance as a foothold to increase the possibility of entering the Commonwealth countries. President Yoon also plans to discuss improvements to the Korea-UK FTA with the UK side during this visit and support building a foundation for Korean companies to operate smoothly in the UK market.

Regarding strengthening advanced supply chains, cooperation is expected to be enhanced in semiconductors, offshore wind power, bio, and 5G. They also plan to concretize future cooperation on advanced industry supply chains, including establishing ministerial-level supply chain dialogue channels. Additionally, cooperation in advanced science and technology is anticipated. The UK has produced a total of 137 Nobel laureates to date. Accordingly, President Yoon intends to promote expanded cooperation in AI, advanced bio, quantum technology, and more.

After the UK schedule, President Yoon will immediately move to Paris, France, to engage in the Expo hosting competition. Ahead of the final vote on the World Expo hosting site on the 28th, he will meet with representatives of the BIE from various countries stationed in Paris on the 23rd and 24th. President Yoon plans to make a final push in negotiations, expressing Korea’s strong will and preparedness to host the 2030 Busan World Expo.

Meanwhile, the presidential office also disclosed President Yoon’s last overseas tour schedule of the year. In December, President Yoon will make a state visit to the Netherlands upon the invitation of King Willem-Alexander. This will be the first state visit since diplomatic relations were established in 1961, and he will stay in The Hague for two days, from the 12th to the 13th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.