President Lee Visits Andong Market Ahead of Japan-South Korea Summit

President Lee Jae-myung visited the Andong Market in North Gyeongsang Province on May 18, engaging with citizens and assessing local economic conditions.

According to a written briefing from Deputy Spokesperson Ahn Gwi-ryeong, the visit was organized to connect with residents and demonstrate a commitment to revitalizing the local economy, one day before the summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, scheduled to take place in his hometown of Andong on May 19.

During his visit, President Lee responded to requests for photos from citizens, greeted children, and sampled local delicacies such as sundae (blood sausage), fish cakes, tangerines, and bananas while conversing with vendors.

Citizens welcomed President Lee, expressing sentiments like, "We missed you," and "Welcome back to your hometown."

For dinner, President Lee enjoyed Andong's famous spicy chicken dish and also interacted with American tourists dining nearby, inquiring about the market situation from the president of the local merchants' association, as reported by Deputy Spokesperson Ahn.