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British–South Korean relations
Diplomatic mission
British Embassy Seoul	Embassy of South Korea, London
Envoy
Ambassador Colin Crooks	Ambassador Kim Geon

The relationship between the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Korean: 한영 관계, romanized: hanyeong gwangye) spans from the 19th century to the present day. Although the Republic of Korea gives 18 January 1949 as the date of the establishment of formal relations with the United Kingdom,^[1] diplomatic ties go back to the United Kingdom–Korea Treaty of 1883.^[2] British military participation in the Korean War during the 1950s was significant, but relations between the two countries at the time were described as "tenuous", with relatively little known about each other. Commercial and trade relationships grew rapidly during the 1970s. During the Asian Financial Crisis in the late 1990s, Queen Elizabeth II made a state visit to South Korea, which was well received at a time of crisis in the country. Today, there are strong economic and diplomatic links between the two countries.^[2]^[3]

According to a 2014 BBC World Service Poll, 74% of South Koreans view the United Kingdom's influence positively, with 14% viewing the UK negatively. On the other hand, opinion of South Korean influence is divided in the United Kingdom, with 45% of Britons viewing South Korea's influence positively, and 45% viewing them negatively.^[4]

History

Before the 1945

Three Royal Navy ships briefly occupied Geomun Island in 1885. The relationship between the two nations broke off during the period of Japanese colonial rule in Korea between 1910 and 1945.

World War II and Korean War

After the Second World War, South Korea established diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom on 18 January 1949. The United Kingdom and other British Commonwealth Forces fought alongside South Korea during the Korean War. Almost 100,000 British servicemen fought in the Korean war. Their most famous involvement was the Battle of the Imjin River, a confrontation with Chinese soldiers. 600 soldiers of the British Army took on a force of 30,000 Chinese troops crossing the Imjin River in Korea. At the end of the battle 10,000 Chinese troops had fallen. British losses stood at just 59 and this battle is considered a turning point in the war as it halted the Chinese advance. The Gloucester Valley Battle Monument is a memorial for British soldiers killed at Solma-Ri, South Korea. 1,078 British soldiers died fighting in the Korean war.^[5]^[6]

Post War

There is a British embassy in Seoul and a South Korean embassy in London.^[3]^[7] The UK and South Korea cooperate in world events with other nations such as the United States. They have recent military relations and the UK often supports South Korea's view during periods of turbulent North Korea–South Korea relations. There were about 17,000 South Koreans living in the United Kingdom in 2011.

In November 2016, the Republic of Korea Air Force conducted a domestic air combat manoeuvering exercise with the British Royal Air Force and the United States Air Force. This was the first such exercise with a foreign nation other than the United States.^[8]^[9]

Military relations

On 20 November 2023, South Korea and the UK signed the Downing Street accord which exponentially increases military cooperation between the two countries.^[10] It has been proposed that the two countries should to forge an institutionalised agreement, modelled upon Japan-U.K. Reciprocal Access Agreement, to build upon the Downing Street accord further.^[11]

Economic relations

From 1 July 2011 until 30 December 2020, trade between South Korea and the United Kingdom was governed by the European Union–South Korea Free Trade Agreement, while the United Kingdom was a member of the European Union.^[12] Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the UK and South Korea signed a continuity trade agreement on 22 August 2019, based on the EU free trade agreement; the agreement entered into force on 1 January 2021.^[13]^[14] Trade value between South Korea and the United Kingdom was worth £18,349 million in 2022.^[15]

Both countries opened negotiations for an updated South Korea–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement.^[16]^[17]

High-level exchanges

From South Korea to the UK

1986 April President Chun Doo-hwan
1989 November President Roh Tae-woo
1995 March President Kim Young-sam
1998 April President Kim Dae-jung
2001 December President Kim Dae-jung
2004 December President Roh Moo-hyun
2006 February Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon
2006 June Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon
2006 May Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Han Duck-soo
2007 May Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Affairs Kwon Oh-kyu
2007 June Chairman of Financial Supervisory Service Yoon Jeung-hyun
2008 May Chairman of Financial Supervisory Service Jeon Kwang-woo
2008 May Minister of Strategy and Finance Kang Man-soo
2008 October Presidential Special Envoy Sa-Kong-il
2009 February Presidential Special Envoy Sa Kong-il
2009 April President Lee Myung-bak (G20)
2010 January Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan
2010 May Minister of Health and Welfare Jeon Jae-hee
2013 April Special envoy of the president former prime minister Han Seung-soo (to attend the funeral of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher)
2013 November President Park Geun-hye
2014 December Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yun Byung-se
2023 November President Yoon Suk Yeol