Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung met Britain's Princess Anne on Tuesday, expressing that South Koreans have been eagerly awaiting her visit. The meeting was held at Cheong Wa Dae as Princess Anne, the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II and sister of King Charles III, is visiting South Korea for a three-day trip commencing Monday to foster collaboration between South Korea and Britain.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this visit is Princess Anne's first to South Korea in eight years, following her attendance at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). During the meeting, President Lee expressed gratitude for her visit, emphasizing the anticipation among South Koreans. He also reminisced about the late Queen Elizabeth II's 1999 visit to Andong, highlighting that it is his hometown.

Princess Anne discussed her earlier visit on Tuesday to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.'s shipyard in Ulsan, emphasizing the importance of maritime cooperation between South Korea and Britain. She noted the close ties HD Hyundai Heavy Industries maintains with British companies, mentioning Rolls-Royce as an example.

On the previous day, Cheong Wa Dae had indicated that the meeting would explore ways to enhance friendly cooperation between South Korea and Britain, including high-level exchanges and addressing security situations in major regions. Lee's chief spokesperson, Kang Yu-jung, later conveyed that President Lee hopes Anne's visit will be a milestone for the continued friendship between the two nations. He also expressed a desire for ongoing exchanges between South Korea and the British royal family.

Princess Anne expressed her hope that President Lee will visit Britain soon to further strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation, according to Kang. President Lee replied that further discussions will take place through diplomatic channels and expressed his wish to meet Princess Anne again during a future visit to Britain.