President Yoon Concludes Inauguration Day with VIP Dinner... Toast: "To Freedom and Prosperity"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the first day of his inauguration, President Yoon Suk-yeol held a VIP dinner as his final official event.

On the afternoon of the same day, President Yoon hosted a VIP dinner at the Shilla Hotel in Jangchung-dong, Seoul, serving fusion Korean cuisine made with local specialties from across the country to about 160 domestic and foreign guests, including congratulatory delegations from various countries and figures from politics and business.

The dinner, which began at 7 p.m., was attended by foreign dignitaries such as Faustin-Archange Touad?ra, President of the Central African Republic; Halimah Yacob, President of Singapore; Megawati Sukarnoputri, former President of Indonesia; Yukio Hatoyama, former Prime Minister of Japan; and Douglas Emhoff, husband of the U.S. Vice President.

Also present were the five key figures of the government: Park Byeong-seug, Speaker of the National Assembly; Kim Myeong-su, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; Yoo Nam-seok, Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court; Kim Boo-kyum, Prime Minister; and Noh Jeong-hee, Chairperson of the National Election Commission, who recently tendered her resignation.

From the political sphere, attendees included National Assembly Deputy Speaker Jeong Jin-seok; Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party; Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party; Sung Il-jong, chairman of the Policy Committee; Yoon Ho-jung and Park Ji-hyun, co-chairs of the Democratic Party’s emergency committee; Ahn Cheol-soo, former chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee; Kim Han-gil, former chairman of the National Integration Committee of the Transition Committee; Kim Byung-joon, former chairman of the Special Committee on Balanced Regional Development; and Park Joo-sun, chairman of the Presidential Inauguration Preparation Committee.

Among business leaders invited to the dinner were Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics; Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Huh Chang-soo, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries; Koo Ja-yeol, Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association; and Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of SMEs.

President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon-hee shook hands with the arriving guests outside the dinner venue.

In his dinner speech, President Yoon stated, "The world is currently facing numerous challenges and crises, and resolving these situations is difficult by the power of any single country alone. Solidarity and responsibility within the international community are more important than ever." He added, "We will proactively fulfill the role expected by the international community. I believe this is the path to human prosperity and also aligns with the national interests of our Republic of Korea."

He further emphasized, "The new government will contribute to freedom, peace, and prosperity, and will advocate for strong security and dignified diplomacy," adding, "To this end, we will strengthen the comprehensive strategic alliance between Korea and the United States." He continued, "We will seek more practical cooperation on global issues such as advanced technology, supply chains, and health. President Biden’s visit to Korea scheduled for the end of this month will be the first step toward a new global strategic cooperation."

Regarding relations with Japan and China, he pledged, "We will build future-oriented cooperative relationships," and said, "China is a close neighbor of Korea. On the 30th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relations, we will seek practical and effective cooperation based on mutual respect." In the order of receiving congratulatory delegations and in his dinner speech, Japan was mentioned before China.

President Yoon also stated, "We will establish an international order based on values and norms with European countries," and "We will build a cooperative relationship of mutual prosperity with ASEAN countries. We will establish specialized, customized cooperation networks by region in Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America."

The menu of the approximately two-hour dinner featured fusion Korean dishes prepared with local specialties from across the country, including abalone from Wando, ginseng from Geumsan, barley shoots from Gurye, pine nuts from Gapyeong, sea bream from Tongyeong, chestnuts from Gongju, ginkgo nuts from Goesan, gondre (wild greens) from Jeongseon, bracken from Jeju, golden rice from Gimpo, mosijogae clams from Taean, zucchini from Chungcheong, yakgwa (honey cookies) from Kaesong, apple mango from Jeju, and citron from Goheung. The dinner drinks were six types of traditional liquors made from domestic agricultural products. The dinner table holders were decorated with embroidered patches inspired by the rank badges worn on official robes during the Joseon Dynasty and chrysanthemum knots.

The Presidential Office explained, "The chrysanthemum knot is known to bring good luck. The crane embroidered on the badge symbolizes nobility and integrity, and the immortality herb represents peace and longevity enjoyed by ordinary people."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.