Cheong Wa Dae
Press Release
April 24, 2018

Presidential Spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom Briefs Media on Menu of 2018 Inter-Korean Summit Welcoming Dinner

The welcoming dinner for the inter-Korean summit on April 27 has been arranged in honor of the spirit of those who worked hard for peace and unification of Korea. Best efforts have been made to prepare dishes using ingredients from their hometowns and a workplace.

The dinner features mineohaesam pyeonsu, pyramid-shaped dumplings stuffed with minced croakers and seasoned sea cucumbers caught around Gageodo Island of Sinan-gun County in Jeollanam-do Province, the hometown of President Kim Dae-jung (1924-2009); a bowl of rice made from rice cultivated with an eco-friendly method utilizing ducks to weed the paddies in Bongha Village, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, the birthplace of President Roh Moo-hyun (1946-2009); charcoal-grilled beef from Seosan Ranch in Chungcheongnam-do Province, from which Hyundai Group Founder and Chairman Chung Ju-yung (1915-2001) led a convoy of cattle-filled trucks on a visit to North Korea; and cold salad mixed with sliced octopus caught in the waters off Tongyeong, a coastal city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, the hometown of Korean-German composer Isang Yun (1917-1995).

Grilled John Dory, a staple fish dish in Busan where President Moon Jae-in spent his childhood, and potato pancake reinterpreted in a Korean style from rösti, a dish made in Switzerland where Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un spent his childhood, will also be served.

Another item on the menu is naengmyeon, or cold noodle soup, served by Okryugwan, a restaurant in Pyeongyang. President Moon Jae-in suggested to the North that Okryugwan Pyeongyang-style naengmyeon be served for dinner during the inter-Korean summit, and the North readily accepted it.

The North will dispatch a top chef from Okryugwan to Panmunjeom on the day of the summit, April 27, to serve naengmyeon and install a noodle-making machine of Okryugwan at Thongil House on the northern side of Panmunjeom. Fresh naengmyeon made at the House will be immediately conveyed to Peace House, the venue for the welcoming dinner, thus reproducing the flavor of Okryugwan naengmyeon.

For alcoholic beverages to be served at the dinner, Dugyeonju produced in Myeoncheon area, Dangjin, Chungcheongnam-do Province, and Munbaesul were selected. Dugyeonju is a fragrant drink made from azalea petals and glutinous rice. The drink is famous as it was described by an old saying, Baekyakjijang, which means alcoholic beverage is the best among all medicines. It was named Dugyeonju because azaleas were also known as Dugyeonhwa. Munbaesul dates back to the Goryeo Period (918-1392) one thousand years ago. It was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 86, and the liquor at the dinner was distilled by Korean Food Grand Master No. 7. Although Munbaesul originated from Pyeongan-do Province now in North Korea, it is now considered a great alcoholic beverage in the South.