Leo Varadkar meets with President Yoon to conclude South Korea trip

By Cillian Sherlock, John Besley and Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has met South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at the end of a visit that aimed to strengthen political, trading and educational ties.

Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney,  Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, and  Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris also attended the “big bang” trip to South Korea this week.

Mr Varadkar said that relations between the two countries had “never been stronger”, as 40 years of relations between the two nations was marked.

During the meeting in Seoul on Friday, he invited Mr Yoon to pay a return visit to Ireland.

“In my meeting with President Yoon we discussed how we can deepen our political, economic, educational and cultural ties,” he said.

“We discussed our commitment to multilateralism and the rules-based international order.

“I also assured President Yoon of our shared commitment to disarmament and non-proliferation.”

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Varadkar said he would raise the issue of LGBT rights with the president.

His comments come after South Korea’s constitutional court recently upheld a law banning same-sex relations in the military.

Mr Varadkar said: “As somebody who represents Ireland on the international stage I will always advocate for equality for women, for minorities and for the LGBT community.

“It is good to see countries like Singapore, for example, being one of the first countries in Asia to change its laws in relation to decriminalising homosexuality, it happened in India as well but there is a journey to go for other countries.

“It is definitely something I will want to discuss with the president but always respectful of the fact that democratic countries can make their own rules.”

Earlier on Friday, Mr Varadkar laid a wreath at a war memorial in Seoul, noting that Irish soldiers were serving alongside Korean soldiers in a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.

Paying tribute this morning in #Seoul to the Irish soldiers and civilians who died in the Korean War, by laying a wreath in their honour. And still today in the most challenging circumstances Irish soldiers serve alongside Korean in the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon pic.twitter.com/6lACOLIMZ8

— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) November 3, 2023

He said: ““I was honoured to lay a wreath at the Korean War Memorial this morning, in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the conflict, including many of Irish heritage.

“It’s a little known fact that almost 150 Irish people were killed in action during the Korean War.”

Mr Varadkar also told reporters he could not envision a voting pact between Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party in upcoming elections.

“I don’t anticipate a formal voting pact between the Government parties in the local and European elections or in the general election,” he said.

“We are separate parties with separate policy programmes and separate traditions so I think we will go to the country in that vein.

“But I do think there are people who vote for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or the Greens who do want to transfer to each other in much greater numbers than in the past and that makes sense because we have worked well together.

“We are getting people’s work done and the potential exists for this Government to continue beyond the next election and for us to keep populism out.”

When asked if he would remain as Fine Gael leader should his party enter opposition after the next general election, Mr Varadkar said his “intention is to lead Fine Gael into the next general election to gain votes and gain seats and then hopefully be able to put together another government”.

He added: “I’m not even thinking as far as that at this stage.”

On Thursday, Mr Varadkar visited the demilitarised zone between South Korea and North Korea as his first engagement during the trade mission, which marks 40 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and South Korea.

In a statement marking the end of the diplomatic visit, Mr Varadkar said it was a “sobering privilege for any individual”, and a reminder of the importance of peacekeeping.