President hosts tea party for foreign diplomats with Korean fare

SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak pitched in his support
Thursday for the country's efforts to promote its cuisine by providing
traditional Korean dishes, or "Hansik," to ambassadors and diplomats at an annual
tea party in Seoul.
The gathering of some 170 foreign dignitaries and their spouses was held at a
garden of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
"President Lee expressed appreciation for the support of friendly nations and
their people and requested their further support for the country's efforts to
become a global nation and a leader of green growth," Cheong Wa Dae said in a
press release.
The tea party is held every year to provide a chance for the president and
members of foreign missions here to speak directly. This year's event was also
aimed at helping familiarize the officials with South Korean food and to ask
them to promote Hansik in their own countries.
President Lee's wife, Kim Yoon-ok, has been a major force behind efforts to
promote Korean cuisine.
On offer during the gathering were cocktails made with "makeolli," a traditional
grain-based wine, as well as kimchi, a dish of pickled cabbage that accompanies
most meals, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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