Yoon Hosts Dinner for Kishida and Li Chang Guests... "Hope to Meet and Communicate Every Year"

Kishida and Li Qiang Visit Korea for Summit
President Yoon Hosts Dinner Event to Welcome Guests
"Cooperation Among Future Generation Youth Is Important"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is entering with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the South Korea-Japan summit held on the 26th at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the afternoon of the 26th, President Yoon Suk-yeol held a dinner to welcome delegations from three countries, including Japanese Prime Minister Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. At the event, President Yoon said, "I hope that this summit will serve as an opportunity for the leaders of the three countries to meet annually and maintain steady communication and cooperation."

Kim Soo-kyung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, stated in a written briefing that "President Yoon entered the banquet hall together with Prime Minister Kishida and Premier Li Qiang, shaking hands with attendees and expressing gratitude to everyone who took the time for the friendship among Korea, Japan, and China."

At the dinner, various performances and exhibitions involving cultural artists from Korea, Japan, and China were held. Works created through mutual exchange by ceramic artists from the three countries with over 20 years of experience were displayed, and performances included a multicultural children's choir composed of participants from the three countries, traditional instrument ensembles, and a modern music band performance.

The choir, consisting of 21 multicultural children from Korea, Japan, and China, began the dinner by singing representative folk songs from Japan and China celebrating a beautiful spring day. After the children's choir performance, the leaders of the three countries came onto the stage, shaking hands with and encouraging the children.

In his dinner speech, President Yoon emphasized that the three countries share cultural commonalities such as Chinese characters, tea (cha), and chopsticks, and have grown together by influencing each other extensively.

He also mentioned the bird called the "ttaeogi" (crested ibis). President Yoon said, "The three countries joined forces to restore the ttaeogi, which was once nearly extinct, resulting in an increased population that now inhabits all three countries and is protected as a natural monument." He added that just as the ttaeogi has become a symbol and fruit of trilateral cooperation, he hopes this summit will produce many achievements.

President Yoon particularly highlighted that the youth of the three countries enjoy Korea's K-Pop, Japan's animation, and China's pandas, and are already actively interacting with each other. He stressed, "For the maturation of trilateral cooperation, the collaboration of the future generation?the youth?is of utmost importance."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is greeting Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of China, at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul on the 26th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

After the dinner, a post-meal performance featured traditional instrument performances and musicians from the three countries. Traditional instrument players of Korea's gayageum, Japan's shakuhachi, and China's erhu gathered to perform representative pieces from China and Japan together.

The final performance was a modern music band concert celebrating friendship among the three countries, which received applause from attendees by performing Shin Joong-hyun's "Spring Rain" as an encore.

The dinner menu included Korean dishes made using common ingredients and foods from the three countries such as tofu, dumplings, and fermented sauces, featuring royal court-style crab mandu, marinated Korean beef ribs, grilled vegetables, five-colored assorted rice dishes, and spinach soybean paste soup.

About 70 people from Korea, Japan, and China attended the dinner.

From the government and the Presidential Office, attendees included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yeol, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Deok-geun, Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok, and Director of National Security Jang Ho-jin.