Traditional Korean food served at state dinner for U.S. president

Seen are the Korean traditional foods made of local specialties and American ingredients served during the Korea-U.S. summit dinner at the National Museum of Korea, Seoul, Saturday. Courtesy of Presidential Office

By Lee Hae-rin

"Hansik" or Korean cuisine was served during a state dinner hosted by President Yoon Suk-yeol for visiting U.S. President Joe Biden at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, Seoul, near the presidential office, on Saturday, following their summit.

According to the Presidential Office, the menu served at the summit dinner was traditional Korean food made using the country's regional specialties mixed with some ingredients of American origin to represent "harmony between Korea and the U.S."

The main dish was "bibimbap" ― a mixed rice topped with cooked vegetables ― using seasonal greens from the country's eight provinces, and American beef ribs cooked sous-vide with Korean soy sauce. Rice cake with American nuts and rice from Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, was served as dessert.

The dinner menu was paired with three wines featuring the distinct characteristics of the two countries, the office said.

"2017 VASO" is a red wine from Dana Estates, the first American winery owned by Korean in Napa Valley, California. It has become one of the "cult wines" from the region for its extreme rarity and high quality. The winery is owned by Lee Hi-sang, the chairman of DongA One Group and Lee's son-in-law Chun Jae-man, the third son of former President Chun Doo-hwan.

"Chateau Montelena Chardonnay," also from Napa Valley, California, is a white wine produced in Montelena, one of the oldest wineries in the United States established in 1882. The wine claimed the first prize in the historical blind tasting in Paris, also known as the Judgement of Paris in 1976.

President Yoon Suk-yeol toasts with U.S. President Joe Biden during the Korea-US summit dinner at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan District, Saturday. Joint Press Corp

A Korean traditional liquor "Omyrose Sparkling Wine" was selected for the toast. Made of organic "Omija," a native Korean fruit whose name means five different tastes ― sweet, sour, bitter, salty and spicy ― the wine is rose pink in color and rich in flavor. The wine was served in numerous international dinners, including the Nuclear Security Summit in 2012.

Some 50 guests from Korea and 30 guests from the U.S. side, including high-ranking officials and CEOs of major Korean companies, were invited to the dinner.

This is the third international dinner held at the National Museum of Korea. Former President Lee Myung-bak hosted an official dinner during the G20 summit in Nov. 2010 and his wife Kim Yoon-ok hosted another one for the wives of the heads of states attending the Nuclear Security Summit in March 2012.

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