12月1日，韩国总统卢武铉抵达欧洲三国行的第一站英国，进行短期国事访问。这是两国建交120年来，韩国总统首次访问英国。外电报道如下：South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun began a two-day state visit to Britain on Wednesday at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth, the first such visit by a South Korean leader.

He was formally welcomed by the queen at a military ceremony in London before heading off to her official residence, Buckingham Palace, where he will stay during part of his trip.

The state visit, one of only two accorded to foreign heads of state each year, reciprocates² Queen Elizabeth's state visit to South Korea in 1999.

Roh will meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday when the two leaders are expected to discuss the protracted³ six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear arms ambitions, Iraq, bilateral⁴ relations and possibly the issue of greater regional cooperation between South Korea, China and Japan, according to a senior British government source.

Reciprocate¹表示“互给，互换，酬答，报答”，这里指卢武铉对英国女王5年前访韩的回访（pay a return visit）。例如reciprocate favors（互相帮助）；reciprocate sb.'s good wishes（报答某人的好意）。

据英国媒体报道，韩方希望通过此次访问进一步推动韩英在经贸和政治领域的合作。目前，韩国对欧洲地区投资的40％集中在英国。2003年，英韩贸易额约为68亿美元。有关预测认为，两国2004年的贸易额将增至90亿美元左右。