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President Lee Jae-myung poses for a commemorative photo with Britain's Princess Anne, the younger sister of King Charles III, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, at Cheong Wa Dae on July 14. / Photo courtesy of Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung met on July 14 with Britain's Princess Anne, the younger sister of King Charles III, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, to discuss ways to develop friendly and cooperative relations between South Korea and the UK.

According to Cheong Wa Dae on July 15, President Lee received Princess Anne and her husband, Sir Timothy, at Cheong Wa Dae the previous day.

President Lee welcomed Princess Anne back to South Korea following her previous visits for the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

"I am very delighted to visit South Korea again after eight years," Princess Anne responded. She also shared her experience visiting the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan to pay tribute to British war veterans, saying, "I am grateful that the memorial facilities are so well maintained," and emphasizing that "it is crucial to pass down the history of the war to future generations."

Princess Anne also mentioned her visit to Ulsan on the same day. "South Korea's shipbuilding, heavy industry, and steelmaking technologies are at a marvelous level," she evaluated.

President Lee noted that the late Queen Elizabeth II's state visit to South Korea in 1999 served as an important milestone in the diplomatic history of the two nations.

"I hope this visit will serve as a new milestone continuing the friendship between our two countries," President Lee said. "I also hope that exchanges between the South Korean government and the British Royal Family will continue to flourish."

President Lee also praised Princess Anne's long-standing contributions and activities in the fields of children and education.

"I have supported Save the Children since my student days," Princess Anne said. "Tomorrow, I plan to visit the South Korean headquarters to align our efforts toward cooperation for future generations."

Princess Anne also conveyed her hope for President Lee to visit the United Kingdom. In response, President Lee said, "Let us discuss the specific details through diplomatic channels," adding, "I look forward to meeting you again during my visit to the UK."

During the brief chat before the formal meeting, a warm and friendly conversation took place between the two. When President Lee asked, "How many times have you been to South Korea?" Princess Anne replied, "This is my fourth time. I also visited during the Seoul Olympics and the PyeongChang Winter Olympics."

"The Korean people have been waiting for your visit, and we are grateful you came," President Lee said. Princess Anne responded, "My last visit was during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, and the extreme cold made it quite challenging. The weather now is very different from back then."

When President Lee replied, "Now it is completely the opposite, isn't it?" Princess Anne smiled and said, "It is actually hotter in the UK. We also had a bit of rain."

President Lee then mentioned Queen Elizabeth II's past visit to Andong, saying, "Your late mother visited Andong, which happens to be my hometown." In response, Princess Anne said, "I am aware of that. It was a wonderful visit."

When President Lee asked, "Why did you not drop by this time?" Princess Anne expressed her regret, saying, "I took the KTX to Busan and Ulsan, so it was difficult to fit it into the schedule."

"While riding the train, I enjoyed looking at the farmland and scenery," Princess Anne added. "In Ulsan, at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, they maintain excellent relationships with British companies like Rolls-Royce, and in Busan, I toured port facilities and lighthouse-related facilities. There is indeed a wide range of maritime cooperation between South Korea and the UK."

Following the meeting, President Lee also expressed his expectations for expanded cooperation between the two nations on X (formerly Twitter). "South Korea and the United Kingdom are global strategic partners that have expanded cooperation across various fields, including security, economy, advanced technology, and culture, based on our shared values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law," he wrote.

He continued, "The UK will chair the G20 Summit in 2027, followed by South Korea in 2028. I look forward to our two nations exercising global leadership together for international peace, prosperity, and sustainable development. I hope today's meeting serves as an opportunity to further advance South Korea-UK relations."

                                                                                                        Park Young-hoon