'BTS·Son Heung-min' Mentioned in Yoon's UK Parliament Speech... Broader Than Park's Call for 'North Korea Change'

President Yoon's English Speech at UK Parliament
"Korea-UK Alliance to Face Global Challenges Together"
UK Beatles and Beckham Mentioned Highlighting K-Culture and Arts

During his state visit to the United Kingdom, President Yoon Suk-yeol urged on the 21st (local time) in a speech at the UK Parliament that "Korea and the UK, which have written a dynamic history of creation, must closely unite and respond together to many challenges in the world." This means that cooperation between Korea and the UK should be strengthened in all fields, including not only economic and North Korean issues but also supply chains, advanced industries, defense, and culture, to overcome the challenges of a complex crisis.

In his speech at the UK Parliament in Westminster Palace, London, on the afternoon of the same day, President Yoon quoted the historian Arnold Toynbee's famous saying that "civilization is born and developed through a process of repeated challenges and responses."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon is the second Korean president to deliver a speech in English at the UK Parliament, following former President Park Geun-hye in 2013. In her speech in November 2013, the first ever by a Korean president at the UK Parliament, former President Park explained Korea's "patience" aimed at inducing change in North Korea and focused on Korea-UK cooperation for the promotion and protection of global human rights. In contrast, President Yoon emphasized responsible future cooperation between the two countries in all sectors of society. His speech is interpreted as an explanation of the "comprehensive strategic partnership" that the two countries will elevate during this state visit to the UK.

In particular, President Yoon expressed respect by quoting not only Toynbee but also lines from William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and sayings of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The title of President Yoon's speech was "A friendship to turn our challenges to pure opportunity," a phrase adapted from a line in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: "Our friendship brings happiness, and will turn the challenges we face into opportunities."

He also cited Churchill's famous saying, "The price of greatness is responsibility," emphasizing "let us contribute to a better future for humanity." He urged close cooperation for the future based on the past and present of Korea-UK relations built over 140 years since diplomatic relations were established.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon also explained Korea's policy to rewrite Korea-UK relations as a leading country in semiconductors, digital technology, and cultural content, supported by the international community including the UK. He emphasized, "We will create a more open and free international order together with the UK," and "We will build sustainable growth and prosperity for humanity together with the UK." This statement goes a step further than former President Park's remark 10 years ago that "if the scientific and technological and industrial capabilities of the two countries are combined, and their unique cultures added, they will become the best partners to create new engines of economic growth."

He stressed the need to join forces to overcome global complex crises beyond the North Korean issue. Listing the complex crises facing the international community such as the Ukraine war, North Korea's nuclear threat, Middle East issues, supply chain fragmentation, and climate crisis, President Yoon said, "Peace cannot be maintained alone. Korea will stand with the UK and the international community to fight against illegal invasions and provocations and uphold international norms and order," and "We will work together to strengthen political and economic security in the Indo-Pacific region."

President Yoon's state visit to the UK is interpreted as an intention to strengthen influence in Europe by using the UK, the second largest economy in Europe and sixth in the world, as a foothold through improved Korea-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and the Downing Street agreement. It also reflects a plan to accelerate Korea's declared leap to a global pivotal state by strengthening cooperation with the UK, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also called for cooperation in clean energy fields such as nuclear power and hydrogen, as well as digital cooperation. The two governments are scheduled to sign six agreements at the Korea-UK Business Forum on the 22nd, including a joint declaration to start improved Korea-UK FTA negotiations, an MOU on semiconductor cooperation, a clean energy partnership, an MOU on nuclear power cooperation, an MOU on offshore wind power, and an MOU on joint defense exports.

President Yoon said, "If the UK has the Beatles, Queen, Harry Potter, and David Beckham's right foot, Korea has BTS, BLACKPINK, Squid Game, and Son Heung-min's right foot," adding, "The two countries share a proud history of challenges and responses and also possess the charm of culture and arts, so let us cooperate."

Meanwhile, at the end of his speech, President Yoon received about 30 seconds of applause from all attendees. John McFall, the President of the UK House of Lords, expressed gratitude to President Yoon and mentioned that he regretted not hearing him sing "American Pie" on this occasion, referring to when President Yoon sang it in the United States last April.

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