Moon interacts with Chinese people
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook have youtiao (Chinese fried doughnut) and doujiang (soy milk soup) as breakfast at a restaurant in Beijing where Chinese citizens usually have breakfast, Thursday, during his state visit to the country. / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
By Kim Rahn
BEIJING ― Korean President Moon Jae-in has made an effort to interact with people in China during his state visit to the country.
Moon’s high popularity in Korea is partially attributable to his active interaction with citizens, and he is continuing this kind of engagement during overseas trips by visiting places where ordinary citizens go, as a way of understanding them.
On the morning of the second day of the trip, Thursday, he went to a restaurant where Beijing citizens usually have their breakfast.
In the eatery which has operated near Diaoyutai State Guesthouse since 1996, Moon and first lady Kim Jung-sook had youtiao (Chinese fried doughnut) and doujiang (soy milk soup) ― one of the most popular breakfast combos in China ― as well as xiaolongbao (steamed dumpling) and huntun (dumpling soup).
“The Korean first couple talked with Chinese citizens there and had a glimpse of their life,” Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release.
The meal was paid for with a mobile payment system, which is common in China for almost all sectors ranging from shopping to transportation. “The payment, 68 yuan, was made using the phone of a Korean Embassy staffer here, as Moon couldn’t do so as he doesn’t have a Chinese bank account,” a Cheong Wa Dae official said.
“Moon took a photo with the restaurant workers, and citizens who were having their meals took photos of the South Korean first couple with their cell phones.”
On the previous day, which marked the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing massacre, Moon also offered words of condolence for the victims. China says Japanese troops killed 300,000 people in Nanjing from December 1937 to January 1938.
While Korean Ambassador to China Noh Young-min was initially scheduled to meet Moon on his arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport, Moon sent him to Nanjing to participate in the anniversary ceremony, saying Korea needs to respect the event which means a lot to China.
In a speech later in the day, he also talked about the massacre by saying, “Koreans are deeply empathetic for this painful incident the Chinese went through.”
“He expressed sympathy as Korea had similar experience (of suffering atrocities under Japan),” another senior Cheong Wa Dae official said.