▁Korea ▁gives ▁ 1 8 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁as ▁the ▁date ▁of ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁formal ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁diplom atic ▁t ies ▁go ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁British ▁military ▁participation ▁in ▁the ▁Korean ▁War ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁was ▁significant , ▁but ▁relations ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁were ▁described ▁as ▁" ten uous ", ▁with ▁relatively ▁little ▁known ▁about ▁each ▁other . ▁Com mer cial ▁and ▁trade ▁relationships ▁grew ▁rapidly ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁During ▁the ▁Asian ▁Fin an cial ▁Cris is ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁II ▁made ▁a ▁state ▁visit ▁to ▁South ▁Korea , ▁which ▁was ▁well ▁received ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁crisis ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁Today , ▁there ▁are ▁strong ▁economic ▁and ▁diplom atic ▁links ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁BBC ▁World ▁Service ▁Pol l , ▁ 7 4 % ▁of ▁South ▁Kore ans ▁view ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ' s ▁influence ▁posit ively , ▁with ▁ 1 4 % ▁view ing ▁the ▁UK ▁neg atively . ▁On ▁the ▁other ▁hand , ▁opinion ▁of ▁South ▁Korean ▁influence ▁is ▁divided ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁with ▁ 4 5 % ▁of ▁Brit ons ▁view ing ▁South ▁Korea ' s ▁influence ▁posit ively , ▁and ▁ 4 5 % ▁view ing ▁them ▁neg atively . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁occupied ▁Ge om