President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks as Britain's King Charles III listens at the state banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, Tuesday (local time). Reuters-Yonhap.

LONDON – President Yoon Suk Yeol and King Charles III of the United Kingdom paid tributes to the cultural influences of the two countries, Tuesday, with the king praising girl group BLACKPINK during a state banquet for the visiting president.

As part of his state visit to the U.K., Yoon and his wife Kim Keon Hee attended a state banquet staged at Buckingham Palace hosted by the king, where more than 300 attendees from both countries showed up to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties.

In his speech, Yoon praised how the friendship contributed to Korea's modern development.

"Most importantly, the United Kingdom is the architect of modern liberal democracy," Yoon said. "Most democracies are deeply influenced by British parliamentary democracy and Korea is no exception. On the basis of our shared universal values of freedom, human rights and rules of laws, Korea will stand together with the U.K. for the freedom, peace, prosperity and future of the world."

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Britain's King Charles III clink glasses during a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, Tuesday (local time). AP-Yonhap

Yoon especially expressed gratitude to the U.K.'s sending of troops during the 1950-53 Korean War, saying "with the noble sacrifice of British soldiers, Korea could establish itself as a country with political freedom, economic prosperity and flourishing culture."

Yoon praised the U.K. as being the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution that resulted in the progress of human civilization and a country with great achievements in literature and science through the works of William Shakespeare and Isaac Newton.

"When I was young, my friends and I were all fans of The Beatles, Queen and Elton John. Harry Potter books are adored by many Koreans," Yoon said. "Recently, Korea's BTS and BLACKPINK are enjoying the love of Britain. The song "My Universe" by BTS from Korea and Coldplay from the U.K. has resonated with and been adored by young people worldwide."

Members of girl band BLACKPINK attend the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, Tuesday (local time) during President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the United Kingdom. From left are Rose, Jisoo, Jennie and Lisa. Reuters-Yonhap

With members of BLACKPINK attending the banquet, King Charles also praised the cultural influence of the girl group.

"I applaud Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rose, better known collectively as BLACKPINK, for their role in bringing the message of environmental sustainability to a global audience as ambassadors for the U.K.'s presidency of COP26, and later as advocates for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals," the King said, referring to each member by name. COP26 is the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

"I can only admire how they can prioritize these vital issues, as well as being global superstars. Sadly, when I was in Seoul all those years ago, I am not sure I developed much of what might be called the Gangnam Style," the King said referring to the global hit by Korean rapper Psy.

King Charles also noted that the artistic creativity of Korea is one of the reasons for the country's current industrial achievements.

"The Republic of Korea's drive and energy continued apace, and with it, the impact on British lives. From fridges and flatscreens to smartphones and semiconductors, it is clear that the model of industrial efficiency I glimpsed in Seoul thirty years ago has become the epitome of technological creativity today," the King said.

A general view as King Charles III speaks at the state banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, Tuesday (local time), for the state visit of President Yoon Suk Yeol. AP-Yonhap

During his speech, The King quoted Korean poet Yun Dong-ju's lines. Yoon quoted Shakespeare's Sonnet 104 to end his speech.

According to the Independent, King Charles and Queen Camilla presented a copy of Winston Churchill's book, "Stemming the Tide," which was hand-bound at Royal Bindery with a bespoke dedication label. Also, other gifts included a one-off special bottle of Laphroaig whisky, and a pashmina hand embroidered with Korea's official flower, the Mugunghwa.