Sharing Nuclear Power Plant Contracting Know-How... Discussing Current Political Issues
Yoon "I Will Restore the Collapsed Nuclear Power Plant Ecosystem"
President Yoon Suk-yeol is having dinner with former President Lee Myung-bak and their spouses on the afternoon of the 12th at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
President Yoon Suk-yeol invited former President Lee Myung-bak to the Hannam-dong residence on the 12th for a dinner with their spouses. This was the first time President Yoon had dinner with former President Lee since taking office.
The Presidential Office announced that "the dinner with President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, and former President Lee and Mrs. Kim Yoon-ok began around 6:30 p.m." Also attending the dinner were Presidential Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok, who served as the Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs during the Lee Myung-bak administration, and his spouse.
President Yoon met former President Lee when Lee paid respects at the funeral of Yoon’s late father, Yoon Ki-jung, an honorary professor at Yonsei University, in August last year. Earlier, at the end of 2022, President Yoon granted a special New Year's pardon and reinstatement to former President Lee.
When the former president and his spouse arrived at the residence, President Yoon and his wife personally welcomed them and exchanged greetings. Wearing a no-tie suit suitable for a relaxed conversation, President Yoon asked former President Lee, "How have you been?" to which Lee replied, "Oh, nice to see you. You must have been through a lot, haven’t you?"
Former President Lee also shook hands with Mrs. Kim and greeted her with "Nice to see you," and Mrs. Kim responded with "Thank you."
They then moved together to the dining room, and after President Yoon and former President Lee entered, First Ladies Kim Keon-hee and Kim Yoon-ok followed.
"A Warm Atmosphere as They Talked About Commonalities Between the Two Administrations"
According to Presidential Office spokesperson Jeong Hye-jeon in a written briefing, the dinner was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere as they discussed the commonalities between the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the Lee Myung-bak administration.
President Yoon said, "Former President Lee’s administration won a record 13 gold medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics, and coincidentally, this time as well, we won a record 13 gold medals. I am proud of the Taeguk Warriors who achieved brilliant results at the Paris Olympics." He added, "The older generation should think and work harder to ease the burden that this young generation will bear in the future."
At this Paris Olympics, South Korea secured 13 gold medals and a total of 32 medals, tying the record for the most gold medals (13 each at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics) and the highest number of medals won at an away Olympics (32 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics) set during former President Lee’s tenure.
President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee had a dinner meeting on the afternoon of the 12th at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, with former President Lee Myung-bak and Mrs. Kim Yoon-ok, as well as Chief Presidential Secretary Jeong Jin-seok and his spouse. [Image source=Yonhap News]
President Yoon also recalled the visit of UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in May and shared an anecdote where he told President Mohamed, "The strong Korea-UAE relationship is because former President Lee laid the foundation," to which President Mohamed strongly agreed, saying, "That's right."
Former President Lee reminisced about the 2009 December contract to build the UAE Barakah nuclear power plant, recalling how Korea, which had no export experience and was at a disadvantage, turned the situation around through trust and friendship. He expressed concern about the Korea-UAE relationship being in crisis during the previous administration and said he has been watching how the Yoon Suk-yeol administration has managed to resolve that crisis. He especially praised the recent 24 trillion won Czech nuclear power plant contract as a tremendous achievement.
President Yoon responded, "Former President Lee’s winning of the UAE Barakah nuclear power plant contract laid the groundwork for our selection as the preferred negotiator for the Czech nuclear power plant project," and promised to restore the collapsed nuclear power ecosystem.
During the dinner, President Yoon and former President Lee exchanged views on major national issues, including nuclear power exports and the normalization of the nuclear power ecosystem.
Former President Lee: "The Party and Government Must Unite to Secure Regime Continuity"
Regarding recent political developments, former President Lee said, "In the extreme partisan divide in the National Assembly, the People Power Party is almost like the opposition," and emphasized again, "For regime continuity, it is crucial that the party and government unite tightly. The only way to overcome difficulties is through great unity."
He also advised reflecting on the story of overcoming the 2008 global financial crisis by signing $30 billion currency swap agreements with the U.S., Japan, and China, and suggested considering ways for large and small businesses to coexist.
President Yoon said, "The detailed explanations from former President Lee are very helpful," and added, "I would like to set another date to listen in detail."
After nearly three hours, exceeding initial expectations, the dinner concluded, and President Yoon and his wife accompanied former President Lee and his spouse as they left.
The dinner menu included Korean beef galbi (short ribs), freshly cooked rice in a pot, and beef doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew). These were dishes favored by former President Lee, personally selected by President Yoon. Side dishes included grilled yellow croaker, japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), seafood jeon (pancake), and pumpkin jeon, with appetizers such as shrimp, abalone with pine nut sauce cold salad, and pumpkin porridge, and fruit for dessert.
The Presidential Office stated, "Considering the age of former President Lee and his spouse, President Yoon personally selected foods that are easy to digest and comfortable to eat," and added, "Upon learning that Mrs. Kim Yoon-ok recently had difficulty moving due to a toe injury, President Yoon and his wife carefully arranged the movement routes within the residence in advance."
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