President Lee feeds CNN gimbap, fruits and Gyeongju bread ahead of his big diplomatic week

President Lee Jae Myung praised Korean foods as the best for healthy eating during an interview with CNN, which aired on Saturday.

President Lee Jae Myung, left, talks during an interview with a reporter from CNN on Oct. 22. The photo was released by the Korean presidential office on Oct. 25. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

President Lee Jae Myung praised Korean foods as the best for healthy eating during an interview with CNN, which aired on Saturday.

During the interview, Lee tasted the so-called Gyeongju bread — a staple souvenir of the Gyeongju region made of wheat, flour and red bean paste — with the interviewer. Lee noted that there is a very high chance that people will eat the bread whenever they visit Gyeongju, the city where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting will be convened next week.

“I hope people who visit Korea have a fulfilling time by enjoying lots of Korean food and experiencing Korean culture,” Lee said.

The table arranged during the interview had a variety of Korean foods, including apples from Lee’s hometown in Andong, tangerines from Jeju Island, gimbap and yakgwa (sweetened Korean cookie). As the interviewer pointed to the tangerines, Lee explained, “They’re different from oranges, but taste wonderful — once you have one, you’ll realize how delicious they are.”

When the interviewer mentioned reports that Lee shed tears while watching the Korean Netflix series “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” Lee replied that the series was “very authentically Korean.”

“Even though the story was set in a very specific region within Korea — Jeju Island — and in a particular era of the past, seeing that people worldwide were relating to it was truly amazing.”

Lee also linked the global rise of Korean culture to the maturity of Korean democracy. “The pinnacle of culture lies in values and order,” Lee said.

Lee noted that Koreans demonstrated the strength of Korean democracy after Dec. 3 last year when martial law was declared, adding that such resilience could become a new global standard.

Lee said he would want nothing more than if Korea could set an example that serves as a model of hope for countries around the world.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]