With the Korea-Japan summit just two days away, the presidential office said Monday that it will welcome Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi "with hospitality befitting a state visit." The upcoming summit, held in the format of a return visit, comes four months after President Lee Jae-myung met Takaichi in her hometown of Nara in January. This time, the meeting will take place in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, Lee's hometown.
Kang Yu-jung, chief presidential spokesperson, emphasized that "Prime Minister Takaichi's visit, given its return-visit nature, is expected to serve as a meaningful opportunity to further deepen the strong trust and friendship between the two leaders." Takaichi will arrive at Daegu Airport on Wednesday afternoon, where she will be greeted by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a and others, before traveling to a hotel in Andong, where the summit will take place. Lee will personally receive Takaichi at the hotel entrance, with a 43-member traditional honor guard and a 29-member military band escorting her motorcade. Twelve flag bearers will also be deployed on either side of the hotel entrance.
Following the summit, the two leaders will hold a joint press announcement, then continue with a dinner and friendship events. The dinner will feature fusion Korean cuisine, including Andong jjimdak adapted from dishes recorded in the "Suunjapbang," a treasured ancient cookbook from an Andong head family. In particular, "jeongyea"—the prototype of Andong jjimdak and a chicken dish traditionally served to honored guests—along with grilled Andong hanwoo short ribs, Andong rice and sinseollo will be served, expressing the Andong scholarly spirit that "a gentleman devotes his utmost in welcoming friends," Kang explained. For the dinner drinks, Andong's traditional liquors Taesaju and Andong Soju will be served alongside sake from Takaichi's home prefecture of Nara, symbolizing harmony and friendship between the two nations. For dessert, jeonyak—a type of Korean traditional yanggaeng—and Japanese traditional mochi will be served together on one plate.
A piano performance by Yang Bang-ean, a Korean-Japanese pianist, will follow the dinner. The two leaders will then move to the Hahoe Village ferry dock to watch "Seonyu Julbulnori," a traditional cultural performance specially prepared for Takaichi. They will also view "Nakhwanori," in which bundles of burning pine branches are dropped from atop the Buyongdae cliff. Seonyu Julbulnori is a tradition in which scholars of Andong's Hahoe Village floated boats on the Nakdong River in front of Buyongdae each July by the lunar calendar, composing poetry and enjoying the arts. The leaders will also enjoy a performance of "Like Scattering Sparks," an original pansori piece incorporating Chinese poetry verses on Seonyu Julbulnori drawn from the pansori "Jeokbyeokga."
Meanwhile, welcome gifts including Wolyeong yakgwa—made with Andong wheat and yam—and Taesaju will be placed in Takaichi's lodgings.
