Ambassador to the U.K. Kim Gunn on Oct. 26 submits his diplomatic credentials to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in London wearing Hanbok. (Yonhap News)

By Yoon Hee Young

Ambassador to the U.K. Kim Gunn on Oct. 26 wore Hanbok while submitting his letter of credence to British Queen Elizabeth II.

The letter contains one's diplomatic credentials and is sent by a head of state to another as a notice of the designation of the ambassador in the country of the letter's recipient.

In the morning, Kim and his wife arrived at Buckingham Palace in London from the ambassador's official residence by carriage and held a virtual meeting with the queen, who was at Windsor Castle.

Kim wore a dopo (traditional men's gown) and gat (traditional men's hat) and his wife sported a full Hanbok dress.

Appointed on July 9, the ambassador pledged to do his best to strengthen cooperative ties between "global Korea and global Britain" in every sector including diplomacy, economy and culture.

He added that the queen mentioned her trip to Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, during her 1999 state visit to Korea at the invitation of then President Kim Dae-jung, and said she gets apples from the city for her birthday every year.

The meeting drew heavy attention in the U.K. as it was the queen's first event since her overnight stay at a hospital and discharge on Oct. 21.

Major British media including the BBC and Sky News said the queen appeared in "good spirits" in her virtual meeting with Kim, who "was dressed in Korean clothing including a traditional hat known as a gat," adding that she was seen "smiling on camera" as she greeted the ambassador and his wife.

hyyoon@korea.kr