Queen Elizabeth cherishes memory of birthday party in Korea

Queen Elizabeth II celebrates a toast with a Buddhist monk during her 73rd birthday at the traditional village of Hahoe in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, in 1999. / Korea Times file

Queen Elizabeth II has said she cherishes the memory of a traditional Korean birthday party that was thrown for her during her visit to South Korea in 1999, South Korea's top envoy in London said Thursday.

South Korean Ambassador to Britain Hwang Joon-kook said the queen made the remark when he presented his credentials to her at Buckingham Palace the previous day.

During the queen's tour of the Hahoe Village in the city of Andong, southeastern South Korea, villagers prepared a party with a traditional Korean birthday meal to celebrate her 73rd birthday.

A performer wearing a traditional Hahoe mask dances to music blaring from a marching band during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the traditional village of Hahoe in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, in 2009. / Korea Times file

She was also quoted by Hwang as saying Seoul-London relations have developed to be better than ever following her state visit to South Korea and a state visit to Britain by South Korean President Park Geun-hye in 2013. The queen thanked Park for congratulating the monarch on her 90th birthday, Hwang said.

The queen also expressed interest in South Korean fiction writer Han Kang's novel "The Vegetarian," which recently won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize, the envoy said. (Yonhap)

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