President Moon Jae-in arrived in Madrid, the capital of Spain, on the night of the night of last night (15th) our time, and started the schedule for a three-day, two-night state visit.
Spain's hospitality was brilliant, welcoming President Moon and his wife, the first state guest since the outbreak of COVID-19.
President Moon's state visit to Spain this time is in the form of a return to the state visit of King Felipe VI to Korea in October 2019, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties last year.
It is also the first state visit to Spain as a Korean president in 14 years.
President Moon's first schedule was a welcome ceremony hosted by King Felipe VI held at the Royal Palace in Madrid.
President Moon appeared in a Rolls-Royce Phantom IV, the King's vehicle.
Only 18 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV were produced between 1950 and 1956 after World War II, and they are currently owned by the British royal family and the Spanish royal family.
The vehicle that appeared today is a king-only vehicle, so the license plate has a crown drawn instead of a number.
The national anthem and the Spanish national anthem were played at the Royal Palace of Madrid, and 21 salutes were fired during the performance.
The 21 salutes represent the greatest honor, and when President Moon visited Arlington National Cemetery during his last US tour, 21 salutes rang out.
The royal cavalry and the Royal Guard also welcomed President Moon and his wife with splendid ceremonies.
President Moon and his wife attended wearing masks with the Korean and Spanish flags side by side.
"The two countries are located at both ends of the Eurasian continent, but they have maintained active exchanges," President Moon said at the meeting. can be reached,” he said.
“I heard that K-pop and Korean movies are gaining popularity in Spain, and more and more people are trying to learn Korean,” he said. “Economic cooperation is also expanding to future industries.”
After thanking King Felipe VI for his support for cooperation in the early stages of the epidemic, he said, "President Moon's attendance at the Barcelona Business Association's annual forum during difficult times will be a positive message. It shows Spain's interest in Korea."
At the welcome ceremony, President Moon presented the Order of the Mugunghwa to King Felipe VI and his wife, King Felipe VI presented the Supreme National Order of Merit to President Moon and the Grand Cross of Order of Merit to First Lady Kim Jeong-suk.
Next, President Moon visited Madrid City Hall.
In front of the Royal Palace and City Hall in Madrid, Koreans holding Taegeukgi and Spanish flags welcomed President Moon.
A full-fledged welcome event was held at the Madrid plenary hall, and Mayor Almeida personally guided President Moon.
Mayor Almeida said, "I learned the importance of a quick response to Corona by watching the case of Korea." He also evaluated the Panmunjom Declaration as a historical precedent for the international community.
Mayor Almeida delivered the golden key to President Moon as a commemorative gift.
It was given the meaning of "meaning that the door to Madrid is always open", emphasizing the importance of expanding exchanges.
President Moon, who received the gift, said, "I believe that this key of luck will bring great luck to the Republic of Korea and the Korean Peninsula." He said, "I will open the door to overcoming Corona with this key."
The last itinerary on the first day of the visit was a state dinner hosted by King Philip VI and his wife.
After toasting King Felipe VI, President Moon said in an interview that "the two countries resemble each other."
“The people of both countries overcame the era of authoritarianism and achieved economic development and democratization,” he said.
In particular, he said, "The friendship that lasted more than 70 years has led to closer cooperation after the corona crisis last year. The kit is also a symbol of friendship."
President Moon said, "I want to cooperate on future common tasks such as the 4th industrial revolution and green growth." He added, "In 2019, about 8,200 Korean pilgrims walked the pilgrimage to Santiago. The new 70 years that the two countries will walk together in the future are mutually exclusive." It will be a 'Buen Camino (greeting greeting on the pilgrimage route)' that brings good luck to the people."
President Moon continues his schedule on the second day of his visit to Spain today. We plan to hold a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to discuss overcoming COVID-19 and cooperation in the customs and economic fields. After attending the signing ceremony of the agreement and a luncheon hosted by the Prime Minister, he will visit the Spanish Senate to give a speech. After the Senate speech, you will be transferred to Barcelona. In Barcelona, we will be attending the annual forum of the Association of Businesses, one of the most prestigious economic forums in Spain.