Korean President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi play drums together after their summit in Nara, Japan, on Jan. 13. [AP/YONHAP]
President Lee Jae Myung is set to welcome Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to his hometown of Andong in North Gyeongsang on Tuesday for their third summit with “honors typically reserved for a state visit,” according to the Blue House on Sunday.
The upcoming summit will mark the sixth summit between Seoul and Tokyo since Lee’s inauguration in June of last year. Their meeting also comes four months after Lee visited Takaichi’s hometown, Nara, for their previous summit in January, and around six months after Takaichi's visit to Gyeongju in October last year for the APEC summit.
The two leaders are expected to hold extensive talks on the future direction of bilateral relations and geopolitical challenges, including the Iran war, according to Blue House spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. The two leaders are also likely to discuss ways to bolster practical cooperation in the economy, society and public livelihood.
Takaichi is scheduled to arrive at Daegu International Airport on Tuesday afternoon.
The Japanese prime minister is expected to be greeted by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a and Korean Ambassador to Japan Lee Hyuk upon her arrival. Lee and Takaichi will then meet at a hotel in Andong for summit talks, beginning with a closed-door session before joining expanded talks. They are expected to deliver joint press remarks.
Korean President Lee Jae Myung, center, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, left, are escorted by head priest Shokaku Furuya during their visit to Horyuji Temple in Nara, Japan, on Jan. 14. [AP/YONHAP]
“We expect the [upcoming summit] to serve as a meaningful momentum to strengthening the deep trust and friendship shared by the two leaders,” Kang said, noting that Takaichi “will be welcomed with honors and courtesies equivalent to those accorded during a state visit.”
Lee is due to personally greet Takaichi at the hotel entrance.
A traditional honor guard made up of 43 members and a 29-member military band will escort Takaichi’s vehicle, while twelve flag bearers are expected to welcome the Japanese prime minister to her hotel.
Following the summit, the two leaders will attend a dinner featuring Korean dishes inspired by recipes from the “Suunjapbang,” a historic regional culinary text dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries and designated a national treasure.
Among the dishes served will be Andong-style braised chicken, a local specialty.
Taesaju
and Andong soju, traditional liquor from Andong, will be served alongside sake from Nara Prefecture, Takaichi’s hometown, in a gesture symbolizing friendship and harmony between the two countries.
A single-plate dessert will feature
jeonyak
, a traditional Korean jelly, paired with Japanese mochi.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a press conference after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Nov. 1, 2025. [REUTERS/YONHAP]
“The dinner will include a traditional chicken dish prepared for honored guests, grilled Andong
hanwoo
[Korean beef] ribs, Andong rice and
sinseollo
[hot pot with seafood and vegetables],” Kang said. “The menu items embody the Confucian spirit of Andong, where it is said that ‘a nobleman leaves nothing undone when treating friends.’”
Following the dinner, the leaders will attend a musical performance featuring Korean-Japanese pianist Yang Bang-ean and a subsequent trio recital of piano, violin and cello.
The evening will continue at a folk village, where the two leaders will watch a traditional cultural performance inspired by the centuries-old custom of local scholars floating boats along the Nakdong River and composing poetry during the seventh month of the lunar calendar. The program will also feature
nakhwa nori,
a
traditional Korean fire art in which burning bundles of pine branches cascade down a cliffside, along with a creative performance of
pansori
, a traditional form of narrative music.
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.
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