LONDON — LONDON (AP) — King Charles III commemorated the K-pop band Blackpink on Wednesday for his or her paintings in elevating consciousness about local weather trade, as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged nearer cooperation between their two nations on generation and protection.
On the second one day of Yoon’s three-day state visit to London, Charles made Blackpink individuals Jennie Kim, Jisoo Kim and Lalisa Manoban honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire.
Bandmate Roseanne (Rosé) Park additionally gained an MBE, although hers got here with out the “honorary” qualifier as a result of she has twin citizenship in New Zealand, one of the most 14 nations the place the U.Ok. monarch is head of state.
The honors had been offered during a rite at Buckingham Palace in reputation of Blackpink’s function in selling the paintings of the COP26 summit on local weather trade two years in the past in Glasgow, Scotland. The awards are a part of Britain’s honors device, which acknowledges remarkable carrier to the country and the broader international.
Charles had lauded the K-pop woman group on Tuesday during a state ceremonial dinner in honor of Yoon and primary woman Kim Keon Hee “for their role in bringing the message of environmental sustainability to a global audience.
“I can only admire how they can prioritize these vital issues, as well as being global superstars,” Charles said at the banquet.
The Korean president is being treated to royal and diplomatic pomp on the visit, which the U.K. government hopes will help cement an “ Indo-Pacific tilt ” in its foreign and trade policy.
Yoon met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the British leader’s 10 Downing St. residence for talks focused on trade, technology and defense.
To coincide with the visit, U.K. and Korean officials launched 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.
The leaders also signed an agreement dubbed the “Downing Street Accord” pledging closer cooperation on 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.
The two countries also agreed joint naval patrols to curb smuggling and to enforce U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea to curb its nuclear weapons ambitions.
“Your state visit underlies the deep partnership and friendship between our two countries and the signing of the Downing Street Accord today strengthens that friendship,” Sunak told the Korean leader.
Yoon has not commented directly on North Korea’s launch of a spy satellite on Tuesday. or its suspected failed missile test on Wednesday, both of which took place while he was in London.
In a speech to both houses of Britain’s Parliament on Tuesday, Yoon said Britain and South Korea would work together on “geopolitical risks like the war in Ukraine, the Israel and Hamas conflict, and the North Korean nuclear threats.”
“Korea stands united with the United Kingdom and the international community to fight against illegal aggression and provocations,” he stated.
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