Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | The original menu for the official banquet hosted by the then President Park Chung-hee and First Lady Yuk Young-soo for the then U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and the First Lady-who were visiting South Korea as state guests on October 31, 1966-vividly conveys a moment of high-level diplomacy between South Korea and the United States six decades ago.

According to U.S. Presidential records, President Johnson arrived in Seoul on October 31, 1966, at the invitation of President Park to begin his state visit, and held a summit with President Park at the Blue House the following day, November 1. His visit to Korea continued until November 2.

The newly revealed menu reflects not only the diplomatic protocol used to welcome state guests at the time but also the effort to showcase Korean culture and identity through traditional cuisine.

“Banquet for His Excellency Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America, and the First Lady”

The menu bears the inscription in Korean: “Banquet Hosted by the President of the Republic of Korea and the First Lady for His Excellency Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America, and the First Lady,” along with the date and location: “October 31, 1966, Seoul.”
The English-language section on the right side also specifies that the banquet was hosted by the South Korean Presidential Couple for President Johnson and the First Lady.

Notably, the top of the menu features traditional decorative patterns and a design incorporating cranes; the use of gold accents and fabric materials lends the menu a level of formality befitting a state banquet. This is not merely a printed list of meal courses; it is a piece of cultural history that embodies both the aesthetic sensibilities South Korea wished to showcase to foreign leaders and the protocols of state diplomacy at the time.

Abalone Soup, Sinseollo, Bulgogi, and Red Ginseng Tea: ‘Korean Cuisine’ in 1966 Summit Diplomacy

Inside the menu, the names of the dishes are listed in both Korean and English.

The dishes visible in the photograph include steamed rice, abalone soup, sinseollo (royal hot pot), yakju (traditional refined rice wine), gyeojachae (mustard-dressed vegetable salad), fried seaweed and kelp chips, sliced ​​boiled meat (pyeonyuk), gujeolpan (platter of nine delicacies), bulgogi (marinated grilled beef), jeonyueo (pan-fried battered delicacies), pine nut baksan and gangjeong (traditional confectioneries), apples, and red ginseng tea. Champagne was also served.

The English menu describes the dishes as follows: abalone soup as "Abalone Soup," sinseollo as "Ambrosia Casserole," bulgogi as "Charcoal Broiled Beef," and red ginseng tea as "Ginseng Nectar Tea.“

It is fascinating to see-through this tangible artifact—that traditional dishes such as gujeolpan, sinseollo, abalone soup, and red ginseng tea, alongside bulgogi (which is enjoyed globally today), were already gracing the official banquet tables of South Korean summit diplomacy in the 1960s.

Although the term "K-Food" did not exist back then, the fact that traditional Korean dishes were served to a state guest-and described in English—reveals how food served as a vital medium for diplomacy and cultural exchange.

President Johnson’s state visit was a significant diplomatic event in the history of South Korea-U.S. relations. The leaders of both nations discussed the international situation and matters of mutual interest, ultimately issuing a joint statement on November 2, the final day of the visit.

A Snapshot of South Korea-U.S. Diplomatic History Preserved in a Single Menu

The history of summit diplomacy is not defined solely by the summits and joint statements themselves. The manner in which state guests were welcomed, the food served, and the patterns and lettering used on menus all serve as records reflecting the diplomacy and culture of a specific era.

This menu from October 31, 1966, is a significant artifact that offers a glimpse into the state protocol, Korean culinary culture, and the reality of South Korea-U.S. summit diplomacy at the time the U.S. President visited South Korea.

Specifically, this is the actual menu from the state banquet hosted by President Park Chung-hee and First Lady Yuk Young-soo for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson; it is currently held in the collection of Damhwachongsa.

Having endured for six decades, this single menu has transcended its original purpose as a mere list of dishes to become a historical record testifying to a moment in South Korea’s modern diplomatic history and its cultural diplomacy through Korean cuisine.