President Lee and First Lady Hold Tea Meeting with Vietnamese General Secretary at Sangchunjae

First Event at Sangchunjae Since Inauguration:
"The Highest Level of Protocol"
State Banquet Held at the Blue House Guest House the Previous Day

On August 12, President Lee Jaemyung and the First Lady attended a performance and had a tea meeting at Sangchunjae in the Blue House with General Secretary Torom of the Communist Party of Vietnam and his spouse, who are on a state visit. This was the first time since his inauguration that President Lee and the First Lady hosted an event at Sangchunjae. Sangchunjae is a space used for receiving foreign dignitaries or holding unofficial meetings. An official from the presidential office explained, "Inviting guests to Sangchunjae during a state visit is the highest level of protocol."

On August 11, President Lee also hosted a state banquet for General Secretary Torom at the Blue House State Guest House. During the toast, he used Vietnamese, beginning with "Xin chao (Hello)" and concluding with "Chuc suc khoe (Wishing you good health)." He also stated, "No matter how expensive peace is, it is better than war," and added, "I ask that Vietnam join us on this journey."

In response, General Secretary Torom said, "As the Vietnamese nation enters a new era of progress, we hope Korea will walk alongside us," and extended a formal invitation, saying, "I cordially invite you and the First Lady to visit Vietnam as state guests in the near future."

The banquet was attended by major business leaders, including Chey Taewon, Chairman of SK Group and Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Chung Euisun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Koo Kwangmo, Chairman of LG Group; and Shin Dongbin, Chairman of Lotte Group. Also present were Lee Junghoon, CEO of Seoul Semiconductor; Choi Jinsik, Chairman of SFA and Chairman of the Korea Federation of SMEs; Kang Hodong, Chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation; and Jung Sanghyuk, President of Shinhan Bank.

From the government, attendees included Koo Yooncheol, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Economy and Finance, and Bae Kyunghoon, Minister of Science and ICT. From the political sector, participants included Kim Taenyon, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker and former president of the Korea-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Association, and Kim Seokki, Chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee from the People Power Party. From the presidential office, Kang Hoonshik, Chief of Staff, and Wi Seongrak, Director of National Security, were present.

In addition, 66 representatives from various sectors attended, including Park Hangseo, former head coach of the Vietnam national football team; actor Ahn Jaewook; author Hwang Inkyung, who is set to publish the novel "Ah! Ho Chi Minh"; and Tran Baomin (DRX), known as "Lazyfeel," the first foreign player in the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK). On the Vietnamese side, 55 people attended, including General Secretary Torom and his spouse Ngo Phuongli, Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Chairman of the Party Central Inspection Commission, as well as the Ministers of Public Security and National Defense.

The banquet menu featured fusion Korean cuisine using specialty ingredients from Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province. Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the presidential office, explained that this choice took into account the fact that the Hwasan Lee clan, descendants of Vietnamese prince Lee Yong-sang who settled on the Korean Peninsula at the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, made Bonghwa their home after the Korean War.

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