Lee Recalls, "I Ate a Lot of Sujebi in My Childhood"
Moves to Prime Minister's Residence for Tea Meeting After Lunch
President Lee Jae-myung is walking along Samcheong-dong street near the Blue House with Prime Minister Kim Minseok, Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yoonchul, National Security Office Director Wi Sungrak, and spokesperson Kang Yoojung after concluding the Cabinet meeting on the 30th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
On the 30th, President Lee Jaemyung had a surprise lunch with his aides at a restaurant in Samcheong-dong near the Blue House. After the lunch, President Lee moved to Prime Minister Kim Minseok's official residence for a tea meeting.
Kang Yoojung, spokesperson for the Blue House, announced this during a briefing at Chunchugwan that afternoon. The lunch took place after President Lee presided over his first Cabinet meeting at the Blue House. According to spokesperson Kang, the location was a famous handmade sujebi (Korean dough soup) restaurant, about a 10-minute walk from Chunchugwan. President Lee walked there himself and lined up with citizens to enter.
The lunch was attended by Prime Minister Kim Minseok, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Koo Yoonchul, Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment Kim Sunghwan, Chairperson of the National Education Commission Cha Jeongin, National Security Office Director Wi Sungrak, and Policy Office Director Kim Yongbeom. When it became known that President Lee had visited the sujebi restaurant, members of the Blue House press corps also came to the restaurant and joined the meal.
President Lee was quoted by spokesperson Kang as saying, "I ate a lot of kalguksu and sujebi when I was young," recalling the hungry and difficult times of his childhood.
President Lee Jae-myung is having a tea meeting with the press corps at Samcheongdang within the Prime Minister's official residence on the 30th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
After lunch, President Lee walked to the nearby Prime Minister's official residence, greeting citizens along the way. Spokesperson Kang explained that President Lee wished people a "Happy New Year" and also agreed to take photos upon request.
At the Prime Minister's residence, President Lee, his aides, and members of the press had a tea meeting. When asked whether it was inconvenient to commute between the Hannam-dong official residence and the Blue House, President Lee replied, "There is no inconvenience. The Prime Minister's residence is very nice." Those present reportedly joked to Prime Minister Kim that he should take good care of the official residence.
Spokesperson Kang explained, "On the day after returning to the Blue House, President Lee's surprise lunch while walking around the Samcheong-dong neighborhood was meant to encourage local merchants and greet residents in the area."
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