By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young
President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee hosted an official welcome dinner on June 3 at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul for more than 60 heads of state and delegates from 48 African countries, who are visiting Korea for the Korea-Africa Summit (June 4-5).
Prior to the dinner, the President and Mrs. Yoon received the African heads of state and government, exchanged pleasantries and took commemorative photos. The President couple then entered the dinner hall together amid the applause of the guests.
“Korea's economic growth is the result of a trinity of efforts: leaders who laid out a blueprint for national development, entrepreneurs who took on challenges without fear of failure, and the people who worked day and night with the hope of ‘making a good life,’” the President said.
“The Republic of Korea, which has been through the poorest and most difficult times and has pioneered the most dramatic path to economic development and prosperity, is ready to move forward together as a true friend of Africa,” the President said, adding that today's summit is a moment to celebrate the achievements of the African people.
“The African spirit of solidarity and cooperation - ubuntu in the Bantu language, harambe in the eastern Swahili language, and nit nitai garabam in the western Wolof language - is in line with the Korean spirit of dure and pumasi,” the President said, reiterating Korea's commitment to growing together with Africa.
“I couldn't be more pleased that Korea and Africa are taking a big step of shared growth and solidarity together,” the President said, and proposed a toast with the words, “To the future we will build together!”
In his return remarks, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani expressed his appreciation for Yoon's willingness to advance the relationship with Africa.
“If both sides strengthen their cooperation and solidify their partnership, it will not only bring mutual benefits but also contribute to solving global challenges,” he said, expressing his expectations for increased cooperation with South Korea.
Finally, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made a toast, saying, “I hope that this meeting will contribute significantly to enhancing shared growth, sustainability, and solidarity, as the slogan of the Korea-Africa Summit states.”
The dinner also featured a variety of cultural performances, both modern and traditional, from Korea and Africa. K-Pop dance, Ogomu and Taekwondo combined with media arts, traditional songs of national intangible cultural property holders, and show choir, which combines dance and song, captivated the eyes and ears of attendees. A collaborative performance that blended the energetic flavor of Namsadangpae with African percussion and dance concluded the evening, conveying the message of solidarity between Korea and Africa.
The dinner menu featured dishes that represented the features of the vast African continent, including deserts, grasslands, rivers, and plateaus, using ingredients unique to Korea and Africa, such as seaweed, gochujang, cassava, and couscous. In addition, on the large media wall of the dinner hall, 3D videos of archival paintings depicting the journey of King Jeongjo during the Joseon Dynasty, such as 'The King's Procession, Together with the People' and 'Scenery of the Royal Procession of the Joseon Dynasty' were shown to introduce Korean traditional culture to the African heads of state.
