Kim Hyekyung, the wife of President Lee Jaemyung, published a book titled "Let's Cook Rice" (Gimm-Young Publishers) in 2018. Although it is a cookbook, it also contains various anecdotes about President Lee, Mrs. Kim, and their family. Here is a summary of President Lee's eating habits and favorite foods as described in the book.

President Lee wrote the foreword for this book.

"I have particularly many memories related to food. In my childhood countryside, things were divided into what could be eaten and what could not. I do not eat boiled potatoes. I also do not like flour-based foods such as sujebi or kalguksu. Baechujeon was a dish symbolizing family harmony. It was the centerpiece of festive or ancestral rites when the whole family gathered noisily, laughing and chatting, serving as a catalyst for sharing sincerity and taste among family members. This is baechujeon."

It suggests that memories of growing up in poverty in rural Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, still have a significant influence on President Lee.

Mrs. Kim wrote, "(President Lee) does not really like it when bread is served instead of rice. Even if the rice is cold, he prefers to heat it up and eat it rather than set the table with bread, which is very rare." For President Lee, rice is extremely important. It is one of the things he always makes sure to eat. Even during arguments between the couple, they still make sure to eat rice. "Even when we are fighting, we make sure to eat. In the middle of an argument, when it is time to eat, he suggests we eat first. So we pause the fight, sit in silence, and eat together. After clearing the table, it's like boxers returning to the ring for round two as we resume the argument."

The vegetable side dish President Lee enjoys the most is seasoned zucchini. "(President Lee) prefers vegetables over meat, and he likes mild, non-spicy foods rather than strong or stimulating flavors. At dinner, there are always vegetable side dishes along with meat or fish, and among them, seasoned zucchini appears most frequently."

As for fruit, President Lee's favorite is peach. "Perhaps because of childhood memories, my husband has a special attachment to peaches. I always keep the refrigerator stocked with peaches until late summer so we never run out," wrote Kim Hyekyung. According to Mrs. Kim, the refrigerator at the Hannam-dong official residence is likely stocked with peaches around this time.

President Lee tends to eat quickly. He said that growing up in poverty made him develop the habit of eating hurriedly.

원본보기 아이콘

President Lee tends to eat quickly. Mrs. Kim explained that the reason is "because of poverty." "Growing up poor, he developed the habit of eating hurriedly." Mrs. Kim also has a habit of eating quickly, but for a different reason: her younger brothers. Mrs. Kim has two younger brothers. "I ate quickly so I wouldn't lose out in competition with my younger brothers," she said.

President Lee is also said to like azalea flowers. Mrs. Kim wrote, "(President Lee) likes them because they are edible." This is because President Lee, who grew up in the mountains of Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, has memories of eating azalea flowers to stave off hunger during his childhood.

※ Click the video to watch the full content.