King Charles welcomes South Korea's president with state banquet, mingles with K-pop band Blackpink

King Charles welcomes South Korea’s president with state banquet, mingles with K-pop band Blackpink

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been greeted by Britain’s King Charles III and a military honor guard at the start of a state visit to the U.K. (Nov. 21)

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From left, Britain’s Queen Camilla, King Charles III, President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee ahead of the State Banquet, for the state visit to the UK by President of South Korea, at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)

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British and South Korean flags line The Mall during a military procession for the welcome ceremony for South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol on the occasion of his three-day state visit to the UK, in London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP)

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South Korean girl band Blackpink ahead of the State Banquet, for the state visit to the UK by President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee, at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)

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Britain’s Queen Camilla and the wife of President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, ahead of the State Banquet for the state visit to the UK by President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)

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Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales ahead of the State Banquet, for the state visit to the UK by President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee, at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)

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President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol listens as King Charles III speaks at the state banquet at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 for the state visit to the UK by President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)

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Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales with Choo Kyung-ho Deputy Prime Minister of South Korea arriving for the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023, for the state visit to the UK by President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)

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President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and King Charles III during a toast at the state banquet at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 for the state visit to the UK by President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)

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Britain’s King Charles escorts the President of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, left, after inspecting the Guard of Honour, composed of F Company the Scots Guards, at Horse Guards Parade in London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. The President of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol is on a four-day State visit to Britain.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool)

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Front from left, First Lady of South Korea, Kim Keon-hee, President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Britain’s Prince William, and Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, attend a ceremonial welcome for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea at Horse Guards Parade in London, England, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (Chris Jackson/Pool Photo via AP)

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Britain’s King Charles,left and the President of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol speaks as they leave the Ceremonial Welcome ceremony by carriage for Buckingham Palace in London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. The President of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol is on a four-day State visit to Britain.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool)

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Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, ride in a carriage during a welcome ceremony for South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol on the occasion of his three-day state visit to the UK, in London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)

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The President of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, right, with Prince William arrive for the Ceremonial Welcome by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Horse Guards Parade in London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. The President of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol is on a four-day State visit to Britain. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool)

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South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol sits with his wife Kim Keon Hee, after he addressed members of parliament during a state visit in London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)

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The President of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, second left shakes hands with James Cleverly, the British Home Secretary, 4th right, during there Ceremonial Welcome, watched by Britain’s King Charles at Horse Guards Parade in London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. The President of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol is on a four-day State visit to Britain.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool)

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From left, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron and Home Secretary James Cleverly attend the ceremonial welcome for President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, at Horse Guards Parade, central London, on day one of the state visit to the UK, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)

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Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales arriving for the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 for the state visit to the UK by President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)

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The Duke of Gloucester arriving with Kim Eunhye for the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023, for the state visit to the UK by President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)

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By JILL LAWLESS and SYLVIA HUI

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife at a glittering banquet at Buckingham Palace Tuesday, as Britain rolled out the red carpet for a formal state visit aimed at strengthening trade and defense ties between the two countries.

The U.K. government hopes the Korean leader’s three-day visit will help cement an “ Indo-Pacific tilt ” in its foreign and trade policy.

The king and Queen Camilla hosted Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee at a sumptuous white tie and tiara banquet at Buckingham Palace, where Charles paid tribute to South Korea’s political and economic advances and celebrated its culture. The monarch even singled out for praise the K-pop girl group Blackpink, whose members were among more than 170 guests in the grand ballroom.

“I applaud Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rose, better known collectively as Blackpink, for their role in bringing the message of environmental sustainability to a global audience,” Charles said in his banquet speech. “I can only admire how they can prioritize these vital issues, as well as being global superstars.”

“Sadly, when I was in Seoul all those years ago, I am not sure I developed much of what might be called the Gangnam Style!” he joked, referring to the global hit song by Korean rapper Psy.

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In this photo, provided by South Korea Air Force, two U.S. Air Force B-1B bomber, top left, fly over the Korean Peninsula with South Korean Air Force F-35A fighter jet, F-16 fighter jets and U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets in South Korea during the joint aerial drills of South Korea and the United States, at an undisclosed location in South Korea, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (South Korea Air Force via AP)

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Camilla donned the late Queen Elizabeth II ‘s ruby and diamond Burmese tiara and a red gown for the occasion, while Kate, the Princess of Wales, chose a white gown paired with what’s known as the Strathmore Rose tiara. The headpiece had belonged to Elizabeth’s mother, known as the Queen Mother.

Earlier Tuesday Charles and Camilla welcomed Yoon and his wife at Horse Guards Parade, a military parade ground in central London. Heir to the throne Prince William and government ministers also attended the welcome ceremony, where the king and president inspected rows of soldiers from the Scots Guards in gray tunics and bearskin hats.

The visiting couple traveled by horse-drawn coach down an avenue lined with British and Korean flags to Buckingham Palace.

Yoon also is scheduled to hold talks Wednesday with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak focused on trade, technology and defense. A defense agreement will see the two countries’ navies work together to curb smuggling and to enforce U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea to curb its nuclear weapons ambitions.

U.K. and Korean officials also will officially launch talks on an “upgraded” free trade agreement to replace their current deal, which largely replicates the arrangements the U.K. had before it left the European Union.

Britain has launched trade talks with several countries since leaving the EU in 2020, though it has finalized deals only with Australia and New Zealand. The U.K. also has joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP, an Asia-Pacific trade bloc that includes Japan and 10 other nations.

Sunak and Yoon are expected to sign an agreement covering cooperation in defense and technology, including artificial intelligence. Britain hosted the first international AI Safety Summit this month, and South Korea intends to hold a follow-up event next year.

Britain also plans to invest in South Korean semiconductor manufacturing as part of international efforts to diversify the supply of the key computer components. Many of the advanced chips are produced in Taiwan, and the coronavirus pandemic and an increasingly assertive China have heightened concerns about future supply.

Sunak said agreements made during Yoon’s visit would “drive investment, boost trade and build a friendship that not only supports global stability, but protects our interests and lasts the test of time.”

JILL LAWLESS

London correspondent covering politics and more.