Yoon's State Visit to the UK Welcomed Warmly... Grand Official Reception Expected

Using the 'World's 2nd' Bentley State Limousine
Official Welcome Ceremony with 41 Gun Salutes... Carriage Ride to Buckingham Palace

President Yoon Suk-yeol made a state visit to the United Kingdom on the 20th (local time). Given the UK's emphasis on tradition and protocol, and considering past state visits by Korean presidents to the UK, a grand official welcoming ceremony is expected from the outset.

According to the Presidential Office on the 21st, President Yoon boarded a vehicle prepared by the British royal family immediately after landing at London Stansted International Airport the previous afternoon.

The vehicle President Yoon boarded is the 'Bentley State Limousine,' one of only two in the world. It was manufactured by Bentley in 2002 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the late Queen Elizabeth II's accession and was delivered to Queen Elizabeth and King Charles III.

The windows are made of bulletproof glass, and the body is armored with thick plating, reportedly capable of defending against bullets as well as improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

[Image source=Yonhap News]

King Charles III also appeared in the Bentley State Limousine during his coronation in May.

This implies that King Charles III is treating President Yoon with the utmost respect as a state guest. King Charles III has expressed anticipation for President Yoon's state visit, mentioning it in the 'King's Speech' delivered at the opening of the UK Parliament on the 7th.

Additionally, the UK displayed the South Korean national flag, the Taegeukgi, in London to welcome President Yoon and the Korean delegation. Kim Eun-hye, the Chief of Public Relations, held a briefing at the press room set up locally and reported, "Along the straight road stretching from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square, where the statue of Admiral Nelson stands, the South Korean Taegeukgi and the British Union Jack were hung side by side."

The official welcoming ceremony at Buckingham Palace is also expected to be grand. The British royal family, which hosts state guests only twice a year, is reportedly preparing the highest level of honors at Buckingham Palace and other venues.

Prince William and his wife will visit the accommodation of President Yoon and his spouse and personally escort them to the official welcoming ceremony site at Horse Guards Parade. During this process, 41-gun salutes will be fired at Green Park, a former royal hunting ground, and the Tower of London, a symbol of British monarchy, and the royal guards will be reviewed. A Presidential Office official stated, "At the royal guards' review, the commander of the honor guard will report the readiness in Korean."

President Yoon will then ride in a carriage with King Charles III to Buckingham Palace for a luncheon. During former President Park Geun-hye's state visit to the UK in 2013, she rode in a golden carriage drawn by six white horses alongside Queen Elizabeth II.

After the state luncheon, President Yoon and his spouse will tour Korean-related collections exhibited at Buckingham Palace and lay a wreath at the Korean War Memorial. They also plan to visit Westminster Abbey, where British monarchs and heroes are enshrined, to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and encourage British war veterans.

On the same day, President Yoon will deliver a speech in English at the UK Parliament. In the evening, he will attend a state banquet with about 180 guests, during which the highest honors between the two heads of state are scheduled to be exchanged. The following day, a dinner hosted by the Mayor of the London Financial District is also planned.

An official stated, "Official events demonstrating the utmost hospitality, such as the official welcoming ceremony, state banquet, and the dinner hosted by the Mayor of the London Financial District, will be held. Usually, when we make a state visit, there is one state banquet. This time, it can be seen as having two state banquets," emphasizing the significance.

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