Taekwondo debut, 280-strong honor guard mark Turkey leader's state visit; Sejong-daero screens and Namsan Tower lit up in welcome

Hyundai Motor Group's Euisun Chung among business leaders at dinner; basketball jersey inscribed '1957' presented as gift

President Lee Jae Myung and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan deliver a joint press statement at the presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, on Nov. 24 last year (local time). [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan deliver a joint press statement at the presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, on Nov. 24 last year (local time). [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung is set to host Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife on a state visit Tuesday, with a full schedule of official events including a welcoming ceremony, a bilateral summit and a state dinner. The government has prepared an elaborate reception for the Turkish leader and his spouse, including welcome videos on large screens along Sejong-daero and a special lighting display on Namsan Seoul Tower.

Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kim Seong-wan said in a written briefing that Lee "will hold a series of official events — beginning with a formal welcoming ceremony — for Turkish President Erdogan and his wife, who are visiting Korea on a state visit on Tuesday," adding that "the government has prepared various forms of hospitality and special courtesies to welcome the Turkish president's state visit and to commemorate the longstanding friendship between the two countries."

Welcome events will unfold across central Seoul. Large screens along Sejong-daero will broadcast greeting videos, while Lotte Tower and Namsan Seoul Tower will display welcome messages through their media facade installations.

At the official welcoming ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae, a traditional honor guard and military band of about 70 will escort Erdogan's vehicle upon arrival. Some 280 personnel in total — including a tri-service honor guard — will be lined up in front of the main building. In a first for a state welcoming ceremony, about 30 Army taekwondo demonstration troops will perform a special routine to mark the occasion.

The state dinner following the summit will be attended by about 80 officials and dignitaries from the political, business and cultural spheres of the two countries. The menu will feature a hansik course that blends Turkish culinary traditions with Korean ingredients and cooking techniques, reflecting the two nations' longstanding ties and shared vision for the future.

From the business community, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, Posco Group Chairman Jang In-hwa and Hyundai Rotem CEO Lee Yong-bae will attend to discuss economic and defense industry cooperation. Also at the dinner will be Yang Yeong-an, a fire department lieutenant who served as a rescue team leader with South Korea's Korea Disaster Relief Team during the 2023 Turkey earthquake and contributed to saving survivors on the ground — a presence intended to underscore the humanitarian bonds between the two nations. Cultural performances at the dinner will include a collaboration between Turkish haegeum player Tam Cevdet and the National Gugak Center's creative ensemble, as well as a set by Korean vocal duo Hundo.

Customized state gifts will also be exchanged. Taking into account Erdogan's hobby of basketball, Lee will present him with a South Korean national team basketball jersey bearing the flags of both countries on the front and Erdogan's name along with "1957" — the year the two countries established diplomatic relations — on the back, accompanied by a red ginseng gift set.

For Emine Erdogan, the gifts will include a celadon tea set reflecting Turkey's tea culture, along with a copy of "Bap-eul Jieoyo," a cookbook by Kim Hye-gyeong introducing Korean home cooking recipes.


sunpine@heraldcorp.com