Britain lays on the pomp for South Korean president

LONDON, United Kingdom – South Korea’s President Park Geun-Hye was treated to a full display of British pomp and ceremony as she began a three-day state visit to London on Tuesday, November 5.

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip accompanied Park in a horse-drawn carriage as they rode to Buckingham Palace, while troops welcomed her with a 41-gun salute at Green Park and the Tower of London.

The president also inspected a guard of honor with Philip and was greeted by Prime Minister David Cameron, Foreign Secretary William Hague and interior minister Theresa May.

Wrapped up in a dark purple coat against the damp chill, Park smiled from the window of the ornate black and gold carriage as she sat beside the 87-year-old queen, who wore a pink coat and hat.

The president joined the queen’s grandson Prince William later at a groundbreaking ceremony for a memorial dedicated to British soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War, ahead of a banquet at the palace.

Park, who is staying at Buckingham Palace, is due to hold talks with Cameron on Wednesday, November 6.

Foreign Secretary Hague described South Korea as “a long-standing political friend and ally of the UK”.

“This truly is one of our most important partnerships in Asia, and we welcome South Korea’s growing role in international affairs,” he said.

The visit comes amid a rise in tensions between South Korea and Japan, a key ally in efforts to rein in North Korea’s nuclear program.

In an interview with the BBC ahead of the trip, Park suggested it would be pointless to hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe given Tokyo’s refusal to apologize for abuses during Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule, a source of deep resentment in South Korea.

The strain in relations is especially problematic at a time when the international community is struggling to build a consensus on dealing with the nuclear ambitions of North Korea. – Rappler.com