The Princess Royal in South Korea and Thailand

Tuesday 14th July - Busan and Seoul, South Korea

On her first day of engagements in South Korea, The Princess Royal, accompanied by Sir Tim Laurence, attended a service to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Imjin River at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery. 

The Cemetery is the resting place for 2,339 soldiers, sailors and airmen, with casualties from the United Kingdom representing the highest total, and Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans also buried within the grounds. The United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea is the only United Nations memorial cemetery in the world. 

Her Royal Highness was invited to lay the first wreath during the service of commemoration, and also lay a single white chrysanthemum on the grave of Private Martin Hogan who was killed on this date in 1952, aged 19, and served with the Black Watch. 

Following the ceremony, The Princess Royal met veterans of the Korean war.

Next, The Princess Royal and Sir Tim visited HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, one of the world’s largest shipbuilders. At the shipyard, Her Royal Highness heard about the UK–Republic of Korea industrial cooperation in the maritime and defence sectors, in particular Rolls-Royce's contribution to the Republic of Korea Navy’s Future Frigate programme. 

The Princess later had an audience with The President of the Republic of Korea, President Lee Jae Myung, at the Cheongwadae.

To end the day, Her Royal Highness joined a reception celebrating the UK–Republic of Korea partnership, hosted by the British Embassy Seoul. 

At the Reception, The Princess met representatives from across business, academia and culture, demonstrating the UK’s economic and cultural ties with South Korea. 

Guests included K-Pop band NMIXX, with whom the British Embassy has a girls’ empowerment partnership, and representatives of the city of Andong, visited by Queen Elizabeth II on her birthday during Her late Majesty’s State Visit to the Republic of Korea in 1999.