South Korea and Japan leaders to meet in Andong for 'home-town shuttle diplomacy' on the 19th

President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will hold a summit and dinner in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on the 19th. The meeting is seen as a return visit after Lee traveled to Nara Prefecture, the Japanese prime minister's hometown, in January. As the two countries move beyond shuttle diplomacy into what is being called "home-town diplomacy," Lee is expected to greet Takaichi in person and extend treatment comparable to a state visit. After the summit, the two leaders will share a dinner of fusion Korean cuisine with an Andong touch, and later watch Seonyu Julbul Nori, Andong's traditional fireworks display, at Hahoe Folk Village.
According to presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung on the 17th, the two leaders will hold a small-group summit, an expanded summit, a joint press statement and a dinner on the 19th, along with other informal events. Kang said, "This visit by Prime Minister Takaichi marks the sixth South Korea-Japan summit since the launch of the Lee Jae Myung administration and the second shuttle diplomacy meeting this year, coming four months after the summit held in Nara Prefecture, Japan, on Jan. 13."
According to The Blue House, Takaichi will arrive at Daegu International Airport on the afternoon of the 19th and head to the hotel where the summit is scheduled to take place. Lee will personally greet her at the entrance. The move is understood to reflect the fact that Takaichi herself welcomed Lee to his lodging ahead of the January summit in Japan. The Blue House will welcome Takaichi with state-level honors, including a 12-member honor guard lined up on both sides of the hotel entrance. Although this is not an official state visit, the government plans to raise the level of protocol and hospitality as much as possible, given the symbolism of the leaders visiting each other's hometowns.
The dinner following the joint press statement will feature fusion Korean dishes inspired by recipes from Suunjapbang, a classic culinary text from a prominent Andong family, along with Taesaju, a traditional Andong liquor, premium Andong Soju made from Andong's finest rice, and sake from Nara Prefecture, highlighting bilateral harmony. Main dishes will include jeonggyea, a special chicken dish traditionally served to honor distinguished guests, grilled ribs made with Andong Hanu, Andong rice, and seafood sinseollo.
Kang said, "We plan to express the Confucian spirit of Andong, which holds that a gentleman welcomes a friend with sincerity." The menu will also include jeonyakgwa, a traditional Korean dessert, and mochi, a traditional Japanese dessert, served on the same plate to symbolize the two countries coming together and moving toward a future-oriented relationship. A welcome gift set consisting of Wolyoung yakgwa made with Andong wheat and yam, along with Taesaju, will be placed at the hotel where Takaichi is staying. After dinner, the two leaders will continue with cultural exchange events. Lee and Takaichi will watch a piano performance by Yang Bang-ean, a Korean-Japanese pianist, as well as a piano, violin and cello trio. They will then move to the ferry dock at Hahoe Folk Village to watch Seonyu Julbul Nori, a traditional performance prepared especially for Takaichi. They are also expected to watch a pansori performance titled "Like Scattering Fireworks."
Meanwhile, during the summit, the two leaders are expected to discuss the future direction of South Korea-Japan relations in depth and strengthen practical cooperation in a range of areas directly tied to people's livelihoods, including the economy, society and public safety. They will also discuss regional and global issues, including the Middle East, as uncertainty in the region remains high. Issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, as well as energy and supply chains, are likely to be among the main topics.
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter