President Moon Jae-in hosted a state dinner in honor of U.S. President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit, and First Lady Melania Trump as well as the delegation traveling with them. The event was held at the State Guest House of Cheong Wa Dae for about two and a half hours from 8:00 PM this evening.

The banquet was prepared in accordance with the highest respect and protocol befitting a state visit. It was also designed to help further cement the close bonds between the heads of state of the two countries and remind the significance of the ironclad ROK-U.S. alliance. 

The proceedings began with the welcoming of President and First Lady Trump by President Moon and First Lady Kim on the first floor of the State Guest House. After the exchange of greetings among the participants, the two heads of state entered the state dinner venue, and the national anthems of the two countries were played, the rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner of the United States being first and followed by the Aegukga of Korea. Presidents Moon and Trump took turns in delivering dinner speeches and proposing a toast before the meals were served. The evening ended with a music performance.

The performance featured the KBS Symphony Orchestra, composer and songwriter Jeong Jae-il and singer Park Hyo-shin. 

Wishing for the continued progress of the solid Korea-U.S. ties, the KBS Symphony Orchestra played Light Cavalry Overture. Together with singer Yoo Tae-pyeong-yang of the National Changgeuk Company of Korea, composer and songwriter Jeong Jae-il performed a modern version of ‘binari’, a shamanistic call done in various rituals in Korea, to the tune of samulnori, a traditional Korean percussion quartet. Singer Park Hyo-shin sang ‘Wild Flower,’ a song that he composed, to the accompaniment of the KBS Symphony Orchestra and Jeong Jae-il.  

Among the 70 participants from the Korean side at the dinner were the Speaker of the National Assembly, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Prime Minister; 10 senior Government and military officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance; ten politicians, including the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly; prominent figures from the business community, academia, media, cultural and sports circles; those who have contributed to Korea-U.S. relations; and American expatriates in Korea who have a special relationship with the country.

Among the 50 guests from the American side were Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, National Security Advisor Herbert Raymond McMaster, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Special Advisor Jared Kushner and Chargé d`Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul Marc Knapper.