LONDON, Nov. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye left for Belgium on Thursday, winding up a four-day state visit to Britain marked by a splendid royal welcome at Buckingham Palace and a summit agreement to bolster trade and financial cooperation.
Park's trip to London marked the second-ever state visit to Britain by a South Korean president. The late President Roh Moo-hyun made the first in 2004. Britain invites only two foreign leaders for state visits each year, officials said.
On Tuesday, she received an elaborate ceremonial welcome at Buckingham Palace, riding in on a golden royal coach with Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, and attending a lunch and a state banquet hosted by the monarch.
Park also attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the first Korean War monument in Britain to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War and the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Britain fought alongside South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War.
On Wednesday, she held a summit with British Prime Minister David Cameron and agreed to double trade and investment volume between the two countries by 2020, strengthen partnership in nuclear energy projects and work closely together to develop future growth engines.
Trade and investment volumes between South Korea and Britain amounted to $11.26 billion and $22.8 billion last year, respectively. Wednesday's agreement calls for increasing trade and investment to $20 billion and $45 billion, respectively, officials said.
A total of 11 MOUs were signed in the finance sector, including one calling for cooperation between financial regulators in sharing information and knowhow. The deal is expected to help South Korea learn from Britain's advanced financial oversight system.
The two sides also signed seven MOUs in nuclear and renewable energy and infrastructure sectors. In particular, the deal on comprehensive nuclear power cooperation between Seoul's industry ministry and Britain's energy and climate change department is seen as a first step toward exporting atomic power plants to the European nation.
