President Lee Turns Cheong Wa Dae Into a K-Food Showcase for the World's Diplomats

Samgyeopsal, Chimaek, and South Korea's Place on the World Stage

So here's a story that blends diplomacy, Korean food culture, and a pretty symbolic venue — all in one Tuesday evening. President Lee Jae Myung hosted a large-scale banquet dinner on June 23 for foreign ambassadors and heads of international organizations based in Seoul, and the setting alone made a statement. The dinner took place at Nokjiwon, a scenic garden nestled inside the Cheong Wa Dae compound — the former presidential Blue House, which served as South Korea's seat of executive power for decades before being opened to the public in 2022, and then reactivated as the presidential office again last December.

The guest list was no small affair. Representatives from 118 countries and 30 international organizations gathered at the table, including envoys from the United States, Japan, and the European Union. It was, by any measure, one of the more significant diplomatic gatherings Seoul has seen in recent months.

More Than Just a Dinner Party

What's really interesting is the dual purpose this event was designed to serve. On one hand, it was a genuine opportunity for President Lee to brief the international diplomatic community on South Korea's foreign policy direction and recent diplomatic milestones. On the other, it was a carefully curated soft-power moment — using Korean food and culture as a bridge to the world.

Lee had just returned from the Group of Seven summit in France, and he made sure to highlight that milestone to the assembled ambassadors.

"The Republic of Korea participated in the G7 summit for the second consecutive year and is cementing its position as a reliable partner to the international community," Lee said. "We will continue to work closely with the international community based on the shared values of humankind — freedom, peace and prosperity."

For context, South Korea is not a G7 member — the group is made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. But Seoul has been invited to participate as a guest nation for the second year running, which the Lee administration is framing as a sign of growing international recognition. It's a point of real pride, and Lee clearly wanted the diplomatic corps to hear it directly from him.

The Menu: A Deliberate Display of Korean Culinary Identity

Now, let's talk about the food — because this is where the evening got particularly thoughtful. The presidential office didn't just throw together a generic banquet spread. The menu was a curated showcase of what you might call essential Korean food culture.

Front and center was samgyeopsal — thick, sizzling slices of pork belly grilled right at the table, one of the most beloved and universally recognizable dishes in Korean cuisine. Alongside it was chimaek, the iconic Korean combo of crispy fried chicken paired with cold beer. The word "chimaek" itself is a blend of "chicken" and "maekju" (the Korean word for beer), and if you've watched any Korean drama or variety show in the past decade, you've almost certainly seen this duo celebrated on screen. It's become a genuine cultural export in its own right.

What the presidential office also made sure to flag — and this matters for an event of this scale — is that all ingredients were halal-certified, with vegan and vegetarian options available as well. When you're feeding diplomats from 118 countries, inclusivity at the dinner table is not a minor logistical footnote. It's a diplomatic gesture in itself.

A Toast From the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps

The evening also featured a toast from Chafik Rachadi, the Moroccan Ambassador to South Korea, who holds the title of dean of the diplomatic corps — essentially the most senior ambassador in Seoul by protocol. He raised a glass to the friendship between South Korea and the broader international community.

The assembled ambassadors also took the occasion to reflect on South Korea's trajectory as a nation — acknowledging the country's transformation from a war-torn economy in the 1950s into one of the world's leading industrialized democracies. It's a story that resonates with many developing nations, and several envoys reportedly reaffirmed their commitment to deepening ties with Seoul.

The Symbolism of Cheong Wa Dae

There's one more layer to this story worth unpacking. Tuesday's dinner was the first banquet Lee has hosted since the presidential office was relocated back to Cheong Wa Dae in December of last year — and only the second such event since he took office in June 2024. So this wasn't just a routine diplomatic calendar item. It was a deliberate signal that the Lee administration is re-establishing the rhythms and traditions of presidential engagement, using one of South Korea's most historically charged addresses as the backdrop.

Cheong Wa Dae — literally "Blue Tile House," named for the distinctive blue-tiled roof of the main building — carries enormous symbolic weight for Koreans. Having foreign envoys dine there, in that garden, over Korean barbecue and fried chicken, sends a message that's hard to miss: South Korea is open, confident, and ready to engage.

The Bigger Picture

Taken together, the evening was a well-executed piece of what diplomats might call public diplomacy — using culture, cuisine, and personal connection to reinforce political relationships. President Lee briefed the world's envoys, celebrated South Korea's growing global profile, and did it all over some of the most universally appealing food the country has to offer.

So here's the thing: K-pop and K-dramas have spent years winning over global audiences. But there's a strong argument to be made that K-food — accessible, communal, and deeply tied to Korean identity — might be the most durable form of soft power South Korea has. And if Tuesday's dinner was any indication, the Lee administration is very much aware of that.

This article is based on reports from Yonhap News, Apnews, Yonhap News.