Bibimbap alludes to Korea-US unity in White House dinner

In a reception dinner running up to the Korea-US bilateral summit, US President Donald Trump chose to treat his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in with a menu familiar to the Korean people -- bibimbap.

The White House's official reception dinner on Thursday, hosted by President Trump and first lady Melania Trump, encompassed a variety of menus from French to fusion Korean food. 

Preceded by an appetizer of kobocha squash consomme and vegetable quenelles in French style, herbed Carolina gold rice bibimbap with glazed fish was served on the table.

A dish of rice topped with multi-colored seasoned vegetables and red chili paste, bibimbap is often recognized as a symbol of harmony and cooperation.

The fact that Carolina rice was included in the menu name was taken as reflecting the host’s intention to underline the two countries‘ bond.

Bibimbap has long been a favored menu in South Korean presidents’ official dinners with foreign counterparts.

Former President Lee Myung-bak, when hosting the summit dinner during the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, chose to treat his guest with bibimbap topped with spring season vegetables.

The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae at the time explained that the choice of menu implied the message of international cooperation for nuclear non-proliferation.

Moon's predecessor Park Geun-hye, too, served her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin bibimbap upon his visit to the Blue House in 2013.

The late President Roh Moo-hyun, whose key issues included inter-Korea peace, shared the menu with North Korean officials during his historic visit to Pyongyang back in 2007.

Recognizing the cultural and political significance of the menu, former US President Barack Obama had invited then-counterpart Lee to an official, close-door dinner during the latter’s visit to Washington in 2011. The two, accompanied with then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, had bibimbap and bulgogi in a nearby Korean restaurant, a night prior to their official reception dinner.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)