Korean, Brazilian presidents deepen ‘brotherhood’ over chicken, beer and barbecue

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Korean President Lee Jae Myung was like a "brother" because of their shared experiences overcoming childhood adversities at a state banquet at the Blue House in central Seoul on Monday.  

"Since entering politics, I've often heard that my life story and political journey are very similar to President Lula's," Lee said at his remarks at the dinner event attended by Korean and Brazilian government officials and business leaders. "Like President Lula, I too began my life as a child factory worker. It was a difficult situation for a child to endure, but my roots as a child laborer remain a source of unwavering pride."

Following the bilateral summit, Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung hosted Lula and his wife, first lady Rosângela Lula da Silva, who were on a state visit to Korea, for dinner activities to deepen friendly ties.  

"Because we share such similar life paths, from the moment I first met President Lula, I felt as if I had met an old friend and comrade," Lee said. "Just as President Lula and I share a deep friendship, like old friends, the people of our two countries will overcome physical distance and deepen their relationship, sharing a deep sense of trust."  

The banquet was attended by 120 people, including presidential aides, ministers, lawmakers and heads of Korea's top conglomerates such as Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Sohn Kyung-shik, chairman of CJ Group, who doubles as head of the Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF). Other guests included cultural and sports figures, including Brazilian footballer Cesinha, a forward for Korean club Daegu FC.  

"Ever since I learned about President Lee Jae Myung's life path, I felt like we were brothers," Lula told Lee, recalling their shared history of growing up in poor families and working from a young age.  

"It was the belief that a fairer society is possible that drew us into politics," Lula said, noting that they defied the expectations of traditional politicians by "stubbornly following our path because of the aspiration of the Brazilian and Korean people to build a better future."

During his banquet address, Lee mentioned Samsung, LG, and Hyundai Motor, noting these companies are key pillars of the bilateral relationship.

"I believe that this summit will serve as an opportunity for Korea and Brazil to become exemplary partners who contribute together to solving universal challenges to humanity in the international community and multilateral arenas," Lee said.  

The menu showcased a fusion of Korean and Brazilian cultures, featuring crab salad with Brazilian mango salsa, Brazilian barbecue, Korean-style marinated ribs and braised Brazil nuts, Blue House spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a statement.  

The main course for the state banquet was a modern rib barbecue dish prepared by Chef Yoo Yong-wook, who appeared on season two of Netflix cooking survival show Culinary Class Wars (2024-). The barbecue dish was inspired by churrasco, a Brazilian grilled beef dish. Yoo personally explained the dish and served the head table.  

A cocktail made with cachaça, a Brazilian spirit, was served during their toast, and the two leaders clinked their glasses while alternately saying geonbae, "cheers" in Korean, and "saúde," a toast meaning "health" in Portuguese.  

Paik Jong-won, CEO of Theborn Korea and a judge on Culinary Class Wars, also attended the banquet at the invitation of the Brazilian side.

The banquet featured performances by jazz singer Woong San and Korean traditional musician Yu Taepyungyang and a children's choir. 

Following the state banquet, Lee and Lula, accompanied by their spouses, deepened their bond over chicken and beer, or chimaek in Korean, at Sangchunjae, a scenic venue in the Blue House where unofficial meetings or meals for dignitaries are held.  

They were served Korean-style and Brazilian chicken dishes, made with Brazilian chicken, alongside Korean draft beer. The two leaders expressed their hope for harmony between Korea and Brazil, according to Kang.

The Korean presidential couple also presented gifts, including a painting of a tiger wishing for longevity and good health, Korean cosmetics, beauty devices, national football team uniforms, Samsung smartphones and pet supplies. First lady Kim also gave her cookbook to the presidential couple. The two first ladies were dressed in matching custom-made Korean traditional attire, or  hanbok, gifted by Kim earlier in the day after they visited a traditional market and jointly chose fabric together on Saturday. 

President Lula said he wanted to invite Lee to Brazil as soon as possible, Kang said, noting that the dinner events were held in a "cordial atmosphere."  

Lee also gifted Lula an AI-generated video clip depicting the two leaders as youths embracing on his Instagram account later on Monday.  

The clip included the caption, "The two young leaders meet as presidents," and segued to the presidents, as adults, hugging each other during their summit in Seoul.  

The two leaders first met at the Group of 7 summit in Canada in June last year and were reunited at the G20 gathering in South Africa in November. Lee, in his youth, suffered an injury on his left arm as a child factory worker supporting his family, and Lula, who worked as a teen lathe operator, lost a finger on his left hand.

Lee also shared the clip on his X account and wrote, "I dedicate this video to my brother, President Lula."

"We have wounds, but they are not scars," Lee wrote. "We gained wisdom from our labor and faced adversity, but were saved by the people. That's why we are brothers."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]