By Jung Joo-ri and Lee Jihae
Photos = Yonhap News
Video = Cheong Wa Dae's official YouTube channel

President Moon Jae-in and President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol held talks on March 28.

The chief executive and his successor at 5:59 p.m. came face to face at Nokjiwon Garden of Cheong Wa Dae and had dinner at the guesthouse Sangchunjae. Presidential Chief of Staff Yoo Young-min and Chief of Staff to President-elect Yoon Chang Je-won were also present at the dinner, which lasted two hours and 36 minutes.

The menu was Hansik including bibimbap (mixed rice with meat and vegetables) along with wine.

Completed in April 1983, Sangchunjae is a Hanok (traditional Korean-style building) used to host foreign guests and hold unofficial conferences.

President Moon "sincerely" congratulated the president-elect's election win when the former entered the guesthouse, adding that while political parties can compete against each other, it is natural for presidents to wish each other success.

President-elect Yoon thanked President Moon and called national affairs a "product of accumulation," pledging to continue "effective policies" and improve "inadequate" ones and expressing his "sincere gratitude" to the chief executive for the invitation.

President-elect Yoon asked for "a lot of help," and President Moon asked him to use his experience a lot and pledged assistance.

President Moon gave a necktie to the president-elect after the dinner, saying he "certainly" hopes for the president-elect's success and to contact him at any time for help.

The next president wished for President Moon's health.

Chief of Staff to President-elect Yoon Chang told a joint news conference in the Tongui-dong neighborhood of Seoul's Jongno-gu District, "They held a heart-to-heart talk in an amicable atmosphere for two hours and 36 minutes.

On the proposed relocation of the presidential office, the official said, "President Moon believes that the decision to relocate the presidential office is up to the next administration," adding,
"He said the current administration will meticulously inspect the budget based on a precise relocation plan and cooperate."

The dinner came 19 days after the presidential election, the latest in history and longest in duration.

President-elect Yoon was President Moon's first prosecutorial appointment after the latter took office in 2017, being promoted to chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office. In July 2019, the president-elect was named prosecutor general. 

President Moon Jae-in (right) on March 28 greets President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol before their dinner at the guesthouse Sangchunjae of Cheong Wa Dae.

President Moon Jae-in (right) and President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol on March 28 talk while heading to dinner at the guesthouse Sangchunjae of Cheong Wa Dae.