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President Yoon Suk-yeol signs the guestbook at the British Embassy in Seoul on Sept. 9 after visiting a memorial altar for the late Queen Elizabeth II set up there. (courtesy presidential office)

President Yoon Suk-yeol will be setting off for trips to the UK, the US and Canada on Sunday to return on Sept. 24. After attending the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, Yoon will be giving a keynote address at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Director of the National Security Office Kim Sung-han held a briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan on Monday, announcing the schedule for Yoon’s upcoming trip, which he described as designed to “strengthen [South Korea’s] solidarity with partner countries who share core values and expanding [South Korea’s] foundation for economic diplomacy.” First lady Kim Keon-hee will be accompanying Yoon abroad.

Yoon will be attending a reception hosted by King Charles III of the UK in London on Sunday, after which he will pay his respects to the Queen at her funeral on Sep. 19.

Kim stated, “The UK is an ally with whom South Korea shares core values and has cooperated intimately, and Elizabeth II is someone who personally practiced solidarity amongst liberal democratic countries.”

He also stressed that the UK sent the second largest number of troops to the Korean War after the US, incurring 4,000 casualties, and that the queen had a special relationship with Korea ever since she visited the country in April 1995, after which she frequently mentioned Hahoe Village in Andong to Korean officials.

Kim Sung-han, the presidential office national security advisor, delivers a briefing on Monday regarding the president’s plan to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in the UK and then travel to the US for the UN General Assembly. (Yonhap)

“Yoon’s decision to attend the funeral was a result of overall considerations regarding the historical relationship and importance of ties between South Korea and the UK, the achievements of Elizabeth II, and the deceased’s love for Korea,” Kim added.

Afterward, Yoon will be traveling to New York, where he will give a high-level keynote address at the UN General Assembly. Regarding the contents of Yoon’s upcoming speech, Kim said, “I anticipate [Yoon] to map out South Korea’s role as a global leader that contributes to the actual resolution of international pending issues and leads the way in establishing an international order based on common values.” Yoon is expected to call for North Korea’s denuclearization once again during his address.

The government is also taking the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to arrange bilateral summits with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Kim said, “The upcoming UN General Assembly is about seeking transformational solutions to complex challenges as the international community is confronted with an unprecedented turning point,” which he described as a “crossroads between continually expanding freedom based on the international order or withering away due to challenges from resisters.”

If a South Korea-US summit is arranged, the Inflation Reduction Act, which is projected to negatively affect the South Korean automobile industry, is likely to be included in the agenda.

Following his itinerary in New York, Yoon will travel to Canada and attend a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with whom he will focus on “economic diplomacy.”

Kim explained, “Canada is not only the second-largest supplier of mineral resources but also a producer of key minerals necessary for secondary battery and electric vehicle production, such as lithium, nickel and cobalt,” adding, “[Yoon’s] visit to Canada will serve as an opportunity to deepen cooperation concerning the establishment of key mineral supply chains and the strengthening of economic security.”

A high-ranking official of the presidential office also revealed Yoon will be meeting with Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and the third-most powerful government official in China, during the latter’s visit to South Korea from Thursday to Saturday. The two are expected to discuss North Korea’s nuclear program during their meeting.

By Bae Ji-hyun, staff reporter

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