President Lee Holds Surprise Dinner with Staff Over Pork Belly and Soju: "All Government Resources Mobilized to Boost Domestic Demand"

President Lee Jae Myung is having dinner with citizens at a Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on the evening of the 11th. Photo by Yonhap News

Ahead of the government's planned distribution of livelihood recovery consumption coupons, President Lee Jae Myung visited a small alley restaurant in Seoul on the 11th to have dinner with staff members.

The Presidential Office announced that President Lee held an event titled "Dining Out with the President, A Meal to Revitalize the Local Economy" at a restaurant in Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, Seoul, at around 6:30 p.m. that day.

This event was organized at President Lee's own suggestion to stimulate consumer sentiment before the distribution of the livelihood recovery consumption coupons. The Presidential Office explained, "As the KOSPI index continues its rally and surpassed the 3,200 mark during today's session, we hope that this will encourage people to open their wallets and boost domestic demand."

President Lee Jae Myung is greeting citizens in front of a Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on the evening of the 11th. Photo by Yonhap News

Five people participated in the event, including a dispatched public official who collapsed from overwork and was taken to the emergency room, a staff member in charge of returning to the Blue House, an APEC preparation staff member dispatched to Gyeongju, and a recruitment officer. President Lee said, "I wanted to have a comfortable meal with those of you who have devoted yourselves in the Presidential Office, which felt desolate without a transition committee or staff to take over," adding, "Let us work together with the sense of duty that one hour of a public servant is one hour for 52 million citizens."

Meanwhile, after President Lee revealed the dining location via social media before the event, a large crowd of citizens gathered in front of the restaurant. President Lee stated, "The government will mobilize all available resources to promote consumption and revitalize domestic demand," and added, "We will seek groundbreaking measures to revive the economy for ordinary people and proactively prepare follow-up policies to sustain the recovery of domestic demand. I ask that you also join in by having a meal out to help revitalize the local economy."