[Unofficial Translation]

Your Majesty,

Goedenavond!

On behalf of my wife and myself, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the invitation you extended to my delegation for the state visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. I am also profoundly touched by the magnificence and cordiality surrounding us this evening.

Your Majesty’s visit to Korea in 2014, which was the first state visit by a Dutch monarch to the Republic of Korea, left a deep footprint of friendship and respect in the hearts of the Korean people.

I am honored and privileged to make the first state visit to the Netherlands as a President of the Republic of Korea since the establishment of our diplomatic ties in 1961.

Through the three summit talks I had with my dear friend Prime Minister Rutte so far – not to mention the good conversations we had on many other occasions – we have made positive progress in our longstanding friendly relations.

At the NATO Summit in Madrid last year, which was the very first multilateral meeting I attended as President, Prime Minister Rutte treated me like a close friend from the beginning. He kindly introduced me to other NATO leaders.

Since then, whenever I enter the leaders’ lounge before multilateral meetings, the first thing I do is saying hello to Mark.

In November last year, Korea and the Netherlands opened a new chapter in our relationship by agreeing to upgrade our ties to a “Strategic Partnership.”

Now, as manifested in this state banquet tonight, our partnership has reached a new height.

The Netherlands is of course well known for the dramatic and delicate beauty of its tulips against the background of Dutch windmills. But to the Korean people, the Netherlands means much more than that.

The centuries-long bond and friendship between our two countries run deep.

400 years ago, a Dutch sailor Jan Jansz Weltevree – who later received a Korean name Park Yeon – was the first European ever to settle in Korea.

He spent the rest of his life in Korea as a government official of Joseon Dynasty.

Hendrik Hamel, another Netherlander who landed on the shores of Jeju Island in 1653, wrote Hamel’s Journal and a Description of the Kingdom of Korea in 1668 after he returned to the Netherlands, introducing Korea to the European audience for the first time.

In 1950, North Korea’s invasion put the fate of the Republic of Korea on the brink. At that desperate moment, the Netherlands came running to defend Korea’s freedom and democracy.

During the Korean War, more than 120 Dutch soldiers and marines lost their lives. Lieutenant Colonel Den Ouden, the commanding officer of the Dutch Detachment, made the ultimate sacrifice after being mortally injured in the Battle of Hoengsong.

The noble sacrifice and dedication of the Dutch forces laid the foundation for Korea’s liberal democracy and economic prosperity.

Since then, our friendship forged in blood has undergirded a robust partnership in a wide range of areas.

Last year, the trade volume between our two economies reached 16 billion dollars, marking another all-time high. Now the breadth of our cooperation is expanding into future industries such as semiconductors, nuclear power, artificial intelligence and digital technology.

Your Majesty,

During your state visit to Korea, you said that what connects our two countries – along with our economic ties – are the values we both hold dear.

Based on our shared belief in the values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, Korea and the Netherlands are setting an example as market economies and democracies representing our respective regions.

People-to-people exchanges are bringing our two countries even closer.

The summer of 2002 is an unforgettable moment for the Korean people. The Korean national team reached the semifinals in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. And the man who led this miracle was a manager from the small Dutch town of Varsseveld: Guus Hiddink. He is still greatly loved and respected by all Koreans.

One of Hiddink’s best students in the team was Park Ji-Sung. Young Korean football players grew up watching his games, and many of them are now playing in European football leagues following Park’s path. And it was the Dutch Eredivisie where Park Ji-Sung both started and ended his career in Europe.

During the 1974 World Cup I was a middle school boy fascinated by the magical play of Johan Cruyff leading the Oranje.

Still, many Korean people remember him, and the Dutch “Total Football” that filled the game with orange haze.

Today, many young people in the Netherlands adore K-Pop artists, and over a thousand Koreans are studying in the Netherlands following their dreams.

This strong bond and connection between our peoples will deepen and broaden our bilateral relations in the years to come.

Your Majesties, ladies and gentlemen,

As a student of law, I read the classics of Hugo Grotius: On the Law of War and Peace and The Freedom of the Seas. His works formed the basis of the modern rules-based international order.

It is enshrined in the Dutch constitution that the development of international law is an integral part of the foreign policy of the Netherlands. As such, it is playing a leading role in the efforts to establish and uphold a rules-based international order.

The Republic of Korea, as a responsible member of the international community and with its foreign policy vision of becoming a Global Pivotal State, is also putting much effort into promoting freedom, peace, and prosperity as well as strengthening a rules-based order across the globe.

The world is now facing global polycrisis. The challenges of our time go beyond our knowledge and experience. At this critical juncture, rules-based international solidarity is more important than ever.

So let us together stand at the vanguard of global solidarity. Let us speak with one voice in defense of freedom in this turbulent world. For I believe that Korea and the Netherlands can be the best partners in preserving our shared values.

Your Majesties, ladies and gentlemen,

Thanking once again for Your Majesties’ warm hospitality, please raise your glasses and join me in a toast:

To the health and happiness of Your Majesties, to the prosperity of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea, and to the peace of humanity.

Proost!

Thank you.