[6 Months of Yoon Administration] Yoon's "Meal Politics" Established as an Unwritten Rule

-'6 o'clock Report = Dinner with the President'... "Unlike formal reports, it allows discussion on a wider range of topics"
-"I will not eat alone" declaration moves to Yongsan... External guest events instructed to "serve meals"

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Among the presidential office staff, the unwritten rule of "6 o'clock report = dinner" is well known. Staff members who report to the president around 6 o'clock are said to always have dinner together if the president has no external schedule. A recent presidential office official said, "It has become natural to exchange related stories while eating after the report." Unlike situations where only the president's requested content must be briefly reported, it was explained that mealtime offers the advantage of sharing a wider range of topics.

One of the most noticeable aspects of President Yoon Seok-yeol's actions during the first six months of the new administration is his "meal politics." During his presidential campaign, President Yoon's simple declaration, "I will not eat alone," was more than just a promise to communicate with people from various sectors; it was also a strategy to quickly expand his network, which is a major weakness for a non-politician.

During the presidential transition committee period, after the first meeting, President Yoon visited Namdaemun Market in Seoul and had lunch with merchants. He was also frequently seen dining near his office in Tongui-dong with transition committee members.

Even after taking office, "meal politics" continues. He personally celebrates staff birthdays by visiting a pizza place in Jongno during the day or eats a bowl of banquet noodles costing 5,000 won near the government complex. Despite ongoing economic difficulties and a series of domestic and international political and social issues, President Yoon shares lunch and dinner with his aides to exchange opinions.

Morning events held by inviting outsiders to the presidential office often lead to lunch with them. President Yoon has instructed that meals must be served whenever an outsider visits. While dining together, he asks about their personal lives, and if he leaves early, he ensures aides accompany the guests.

There are even aides who recently shared six consecutive meals with the president. This is partly because both internal and external schedules fall under their responsibility, but additional reports were also made during mealtime. As the unwritten rule of "dinner report = meal" has been established, aides' lunch and dinner schedules frequently change according to President Yoon's requests to dine together.

Within the presidential office, President Yoon's "meal politics" is sometimes compared to former President Moon Jae-in's "eating alone politics." In December 2017, during a 3-night, 4-day visit to China for the Korea-China summit, former President Moon ate alone for 8 out of 10 meals, sparking controversy over diplomatic neglect. This also reflects President Yoon's concern about potential controversies over dining companions and seating arrangements.

President Yoon's "meal politics" now shows signs of expanding into "residence dinner politics." About six months after his inauguration, President Yoon recently moved into the Hannam-dong residence. The banquet hall, previously at the Foreign Minister's official residence, has been remodeled to create a separate space for private events. It is expected that politicians and figures from various social sectors will be invited to the residence. Accordingly, there is growing interest in the first guests for the residence dinner. Some speculate that the "five key figures" ? the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister, the President of the Constitutional Court, and the Chairperson of the National Election Commission ? are likely candidates.