Lee: "Let's Surpass $10 Billion in Trade" ? Meloni, Italian PM: "Strategic Tech Cooperation"... Luncheon Features Handmade Tteokmanduguk and Galbijjim (Comprehensive)

President Lee Hosts Luncheon with Italian Prime Minister Meloni
"Buongiorno" ? President Lee Greets in Italian
"Consensus on Cooperation in AI, Space, and Semiconductors"
Handmade Tteokmanduguk and Braised Short Ribs with Abalone Served at

President Lee Jae-myung and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are toasting at the official luncheon held at the Blue House on the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 19th, President Lee Jae-myung held a luncheon with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and stated, "We deeply agreed on the need to further expand the scale of our two countries beyond 10 billion dollars." Prime Minister Meloni responded by mentioning technology, defense, and digital technology, saying, "Let us strengthen cooperation in strategic sectors."

President Lee hosted Prime Minister Meloni, who is on an official visit to Korea, for a luncheon at the Chungmu Room on the first floor of the Blue House that afternoon. Greeting her in Italian with "Buongiorno," President Lee said, "In today's talks, we shared the view that, based on our countries' shared economic and cultural strengths, we should further develop our cooperative relationship in a strategic and future-oriented direction."

He continued, "We also deeply agreed on the need to further expand the trade volume between our two countries, which has surpassed 10 billion dollars, and that cooperation in advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), aerospace, defense, and semiconductors can create significant synergy between our two nations."

President Lee Jae-myung salutes the national flag during the official luncheon with Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, held at the Blue House on the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee also emphasized the importance of people-to-people exchanges. He said, "Above all, the ongoing exchanges between our peoples are the most solid foundation for the friendly relationship between Korea and Italy. The number of Koreans visiting Italy reaches 1 million annually. With the Winter Olympics being held next month, we expect even more of our citizens to visit Italy."

President Lee continued, "Recently, the number of Italian students coming to Korea has also doubled compared to five years ago. The exchange between our peoples, especially student exchanges, is the driving force behind the friendship and cooperation between our countries. The Prime Minister and I have agreed to pay even closer attention to ensuring that these exchanges become even more active in the future."

Regarding shared issues such as regional growth, aging populations, demographic challenges, and cooperation among small and medium-sized enterprises, President Lee said, "We will share our know-how and experiences and work together to address the common social challenges faced by both countries. I am confident that the more we join forces and pool our wisdom to tackle these shared issues, the better the lives of our peoples will become."

President Lee Jae-myung is delivering a welcome speech at the official luncheon for Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, held at the Blue House on the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News

Prime Minister Meloni said, "Korea and Italy have a very strong bond, and I hope that this solid relationship will be further strengthened." She added, "There is a Korean word, 'Jeong,' which I believe best expresses the relationship between Korea and Italy."

Prime Minister Meloni went on to say, "Italy looks at Korea's miracle with genuine respect and admiration. We hope to strengthen cooperation not only in trade, which is already thriving, but also in more strategic areas such as technology, defense, and digital technology."

Handmade Tteokmanduguk and Braised Short Ribs with Abalone Served at Luncheon: "Symbolizing the Wish for Friendly Relations Between the Two Countries"

The handmade jeonbyeong (savory pancakes) served as appetizers at the luncheon used gamtae chips, glutinous rice chips, and red yeast rice chips to represent the colors of the Italian flag. In addition, the braised short ribs with abalone from Wando and the warm vegetable dish were seasoned with soy sauce and enhanced with the flavor of Italian red wine, symbolizing the wish for the friendly development of Korea and Italy, according to the Blue House. Notably, the tteokmanduguk (rice cake and dumpling soup) simmered with handmade dumplings shaped like Italy's representative pasta, ravioli, was served to celebrate the New Year together with Prime Minister Meloni, who made her first official visit to Korea this year.

Tteokmanduguk (rice cake and dumpling soup) simmered with handmade dumplings shaped like Italy's representative pasta, ravioli. (Photo by Cheongwadae)

Kang Yoo-jung, spokesperson for the Blue House, said, "Today's official luncheon, held to commemorate Prime Minister Meloni's official visit to Korea, was based on Korean cuisine using our native ingredients, but also harmoniously incorporated cooking methods and ingredients familiar to Italians." She explained that the menu also reflected the preferences of Prime Minister Meloni and her delegation. The Prime Minister and the Italian delegation reportedly enjoyed the handmade tteokmanduguk shaped like ravioli and were impressed by the flavors of Korean cuisine.

Braised short ribs served with abalone from Wando. (Photo by Cheongwadae)

Meanwhile, during the luncheon, Mrs. Meloni expressed her delight at hearing familiar pieces performed by the chamber ensemble, including "Nella Fantasia" composed by Italian composer Ennio Morricone. Music by Michael Jackson was also played, reflecting Prime Minister Meloni's tastes. Members of the delegation commented on how romantic and beautiful the lyrics of "La cura" were, mentioning Franco Battiato, the famous Italian singer-songwriter who wrote the song.

After the luncheon, President Lee presented Prime Minister Meloni with a surprise gift of a pink Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7. The two leaders took a selfie together in a friendly atmosphere. Pink is reportedly Prime Minister Meloni's favorite color. Finally, Prime Minister Meloni said she hoped to meet again with more concrete progress next time, to which President Lee responded that her specificity truly demonstrates what pragmatism is, expressing his deep agreement. President Lee also shared that he had previously visited Bologna, Italy, to study cooperatives, and expressed his desire to learn from Italy, a leader in cooperatives. According to spokesperson Kang, Prime Minister Meloni and her delegation showed great interest in this topic.