President Yoon offers condolences for death of Queen Elizabeth II

President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee leave a hotel in London to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Monday (Korea Standard Time). Yonhap

By Nam Hyun-woo

President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, paying tribute to her lifetime dedication to protecting peace and freedom.

Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee attended the state funeral held at Westminster Abbey in London, Monday (Korea Standard Time), along with dignitaries and world leaders who gathered to mourn the longest-reigning British monarch.

After the funeral service, Yoon was scheduled to pay his respects to her coffin and wrote a message of tribute in a book of condolence. According to senior presidential secretary for public relations, Kim Eun-hye, Yoon said in the message that he was "honored to have been among the contemporaries of the queen who had lived a life dedicated to protecting freedom and peace" and "the Republic of Korea will remember Queen Elizabeth II forever."

But Yoon failed to make a scheduled visit to the Queen's lying-in-state in Westminster before the funeral, triggering speculations. There was even a rumor that he was not invited to the tribute.

The senior secretary for public relations flatly denied the rumor, criticizing those who spread such groundless speculation. She told reporters that "the event of President Yoon leaving his message in the book of condolences was arranged after the funeral service, due to the circumstance of London," noting that leaders who arrived in London later on Sunday were ushered to visit the tribute event on Monday.

"It is regretful that the grief (for the queen's death) is exploited for the sake of domestic politics," she said, adding that there are other leaders who would sign the book after the funeral services.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, left in third row from bottom, and his wife Kim Keon-hee, to Yoon's right, attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London, Monday (local time). PA Images via Yonhap

Before attending the funeral service, Yoon joined a reception hosted by King Charles III in London where he offered the monarch his condolences over the queen's death.

According to the senior secretary for public relations, Yoon and his wife attended a reception at Buckingham Palace, ahead of the queen's state funeral.

"Many will remember that the queen has dedicated her entire life to peace and freedom," the presidential secretary said. "Yoon offered his condolences and said that her lifetime of dedication for the protection of peace and freedom will be remembered, and South Koreans are also grieving the loss of the queen."

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During the reception, Yoon offered congratulations to King Charles III, who expressed his gratitude for the president's visit to the U.K.

During Yoon's meeting with the royal family, the king introduced his family members to the president and the first lady ― his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, his son Prince William and William's wife, Kate Middleton.

Middleton, who became the Princess of Wales following the queen's death, said she has never been to South Korea before and she wants to visit the country if invited. The king also said his last visit to the country was in 1992 and he would like the opportunity to visit again. Yoon responded that they are welcome to visit anytime.

During the reception, Yoon met other countries' leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden. They exchanged greetings and reconfirmed their summit at the United Nations General Assembly, which will take place in New York starting Wednesday.

Senior presidential secretary for public relations, Kim Eun-hye, speaks during a press conference at a hotel in London, Monday (Korea Standard Time). Yonhap

Yoon visited London as the first stop of his weeklong trip to the U.K., the U.S. and Canada. After attending Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, Yoon will depart for New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly.

At the assembly, Yoon will deliver a keynote speech on South Korea's role and responsibilities in the global community. Also during the speech, he is anticipated to urge U.N. members to join Seoul's efforts to denuclearize North Korea.

In an interview with The New York Times published on Sunday, Yoon noted that Seoul and Washington are prepared to offer "a package of all possible means and methods," that can deter North Korea's nuclear provocations.

The remarks were interpreted as a response to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's Sept. 8 comments that his regime will "never give up" its nuclear program, while enshrining its use of nuclear weapons in law.

On the sidelines of the General Assembly, Yoon is expected to have summits with leaders attending the event, including Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

South Korea and Japan are staging a tug-of-war over the envisaged Yoon-Kishida summit. While Seoul has announced that Yoon "will have a summit with Kishida" during the U.N. event, Tokyo has not confirmed this, with multiple Japanese news outlets reporting that Tokyo officials are unhappy about Seoul's announcement and pessimistic about the summit.

A senior official at the presidential office refused to comment on those reports, but added that it is "hard to say circumstances have changed."

In Canada, Yoon will have a summit with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to explore ways to enhance the two countries' trade partnership for the supply of rare minerals used in electric vehicle batteries.