Official Luncheon with President Lee and First Lady Planned
Featuring Korean Sauce Yeon Doenjang Mayo and Grilled Jeju Hairtail
President Lee Jaemyung will hold a summit meeting and luncheon with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is on an official visit to Korea to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, starting at 11 a.m. in Seoul on November 2.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Singapore. Singapore is a key economic partner for Korea and a core ally supporting multilateralism and free trade. President Lee and Prime Minister Wong held a phone conversation in June, shortly after President Lee’s inauguration, and have actively exchanged congratulatory letters on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties (August 8), as well as engaged through ASEAN-related summits and APEC meetings.
During the summit and luncheon, the two leaders plan to engage in in-depth discussions on practical cooperation in a wide range of fields, including security, trade and investment, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced technology, the green economy, and energy transition.
This marks Prime Minister Wong’s first visit to Korea since his inauguration in May. He arrived in Korea on October 29, immediately after attending an ASEAN-related summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His first official engagement in Korea was attending a special dinner hosted by President Lee for the leaders of seven countries. After completing the APEC summit schedule by November 1, he traveled to Seoul by KTX.
Meanwhile, taking into account Prime Minister Wong’s fondness for the abundant seafood at Singapore’s iconic hawker centers, the official luncheon hosted by President Lee and the First Lady will feature dishes showcasing the appeal of Korean cuisine, prepared with fresh local seafood and seasonal ingredients, as a gesture of warm hospitality.
The luncheon menu will begin with unique Korean bites, such as Yeon Doenjang Mayo, a Korean sauce made by blending all the ingredients of bibimbap to create the flavor of bibimbap itself. Other dishes include delicately poached seafood with chili sauce, and grilled Jeju hairtail served with savory soybean puree and pollack roe sauce. For the luncheon toast, a non-alcoholic golden cocktail, Golden Bae, made from Naju pears from Jeonnam, has been prepared in recognition of Singapore’s global reputation as a trusted hub for gold trading and financial networks.
For dessert, a dried persimmon cake accompanied by Singapore’s signature sweet kaya jam will be served. The cake will be decorated with elements of both nations’ flags to symbolize the enduring friendship and the wish for closer ties between Korea and Singapore.
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