Congratulatory Remarks

by H.E. Park Jin

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Reception to Mark

the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 

May 3, 2023

Ambassador Colin Crooks,

His Excellency Mr. 한승수,

Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea,

Her Excellency Representative 한정애,

President of the ROK-UK Parliamentary Friendship Group,

His Excellency Mr. 김동연,

Governor of Gyeonggi-do Province,

His Excellency Mr. 이철우,

Governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province,

His Excellency Mr. 유정복,

Mayor of the Incheon Metropolitan City,

His Excellency Mr. 손경식,

Chairman of the Korea Enterprises Federation,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Evening!

It is my great honor to join you this evening

to celebrate the joyful occasion

of the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles Ⅲ

and the Queen Consort.

We are even more excited because we are honoring

the very meaningful milestone

of the 140th anniversary of the establishment

of diplomatic relations between

the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom.

My special thanks go to Ambassador and Mrs. Crooks

for inviting me and my wife here today.

On behalf of the government and people

of the Republic of Korea,

I would like to extend the warmest congratulations

to His Majesty King Charles Ⅲ

and all our dear UK friends

on this monumental occasion

of the first coronation in 70 years.

With His Majesty’s unwavering and dedicated

public service, his passion for the arts,

and his active commitment to the environment

and our sustainable future,

I firmly believe that His Majesty will open a new and even brighter chapter in the history of the UK.

People from all over the world have been enchanted

by the deep historical and cultural legacy

of your great nation.

You were the cradle of the Industrial Revolution,

the champion of creative economy,

and produced 137 Nobel Prize winners.

Today, the UK remains a global epicenter

of innovation,

with its cutting-edge technology

in a wide range of areas

including artificial intelligence, the space sector,

and bio-technology.

British culture is also embedded

in our everyday life.

Koreans read William Shakespeare and J.K. Rowling,

love the Beatles and Adele,

and watch Premier League football,

especially when Son Heung-min plays

for the Tottenham Hotspur.

Son Heung-min’s recovery

after the World Cup last year,

is exciting news for Korean football fans.

I hope he brings more goals and more victories.

The UK has been a significant part of my life as well,

both as a student and lecturer of politics,

and later as the President of the Korea Britain Society.

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year not only marks the 140th anniversary

of our diplomatic ties, but also the 70th anniversary

of the armistice of the Korean War.

More than 80,000 young British servicemen

fought bravely to safeguard peace and security

on the Korean Peninsula.

The bonds forged on the battlefield

are an unshakable foundation for the lasting partnership

between our two countries.

Our bilateral ties truly flourished

in the seven decades

that followed the war in many areas.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic,

our two countries have maintained close economic cooperation based on our bilateral free trade agreement.

The trade volume between our two countries

has grown ever since,

and our vibrant economic cooperation

has been constantly strengthened

by numerous UK companies operating in Korea.

An increasing number of Korean companies, too,

are making their ways to the UK market,

spanning almost every industry.

Our people to people exchanges are also remarkable,

with more than 36,000 Korean nationals

now living in the UK,

which is by far the largest number

among the Western European countries.

It is also exciting to witness Hallyu, the Korean Wave,

and the interest of Korean culture

among the British people.

As young Koreans were captivated by the Beatles

in the past including myself,

the young British are now enthralled by BTS

and Blackpink.

The British magazine “Time Out” recently published

a very interesting article

based on a survey done by the Bucket List Company,

which is that today’s world’s most popular cuisine

turned out to be Korean.

Since the launch

of the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration last year,

Korea-UK relations have emerged stronger than ever.

Regular high-level exchanges have become

a normal pattern.

The main occasions include:

The bilateral Summit in Madrid, Spain,

during the NATO Summit last June.

President Yoon Suk Yeol and the First Lady’s attendance at the State Funeral

of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The visit to Seoul by Foreign Secretary

James Cleverly in September last year.

And this week, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s visit

to London to celebrate

the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.

Next month, we will mark the one-year anniversary

of the adoption of the

“ROK-UK bilateral framework for closer cooperation”.

Based on this framework, our two countries are

expanding our cooperation in a wide range of areas.

With the signing of the Terms of Reference

on Space Engagement Talks in July last year,

we are committed to greater collaboration

in the space domain.

We are also working closely

in the field of nuclear energy,

as Korea seeks to participate in the construction

of a nuclear power plant in the UK.

Cooperation in the areas of health,

cyber space, digital technology,

and climate change are deepening as well.

Our expanding partnership based on shared values

and interests is expanding far beyond

the Korean Peninsula.

Korea welcomes the UK’s increasing engagement and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

The most notable occasion was

when the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth

visited Busan two years ago in August 2021,

in which I myself participated as well.

As a former naval officer,

I was very much impressed by the excellent capabilities of the magnificent ship.

We will work closely with the UK

to promote freedom, peace, and prosperity

in the Indo-Pacific.

As the world faces a global polycrisis,

with the return of geopolitics, supply chain disruptions,

and climate change,

the renewed impetus in Korea-UK solidarity

holds greater significance than ever.

Winston Churchill once said:

“Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.”

With the unwavering commitment

to our shared values of freedom, democracy,

human rights, and the rule of law,

the ROK looks forward to the enduring bonds

of friendship with the UK flourishing all the more

on our common path ahead.

We still cherish warm memories of the historic occasion when Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

visited Korea in 1999.

We celebrated her 73rd birthday

in Andong city, Gyeongsangbuk-do province.

I had the honor to have the audience of Her Majesty

both in the Buckingham Palace in London in 1995,

and in Seoul in 1999.

We hope that His Majesty King Charles Ⅲ

will honor us with a visit to Korea again

– indeed this would be a precious memory

for both our peoples.

My heartfelt congratulations once again

on His Majesty’s Coronation

and the 140th anniversary of our diplomatic relations.

Now I would like to propose a toast

to Their Majesties King Charles Ⅲ

and the Queen Consort.

Please raise your glasses to the new King and Queen,

and the everlasting friendship

between Korea and Britain.

Cheers!   /END/