Seoul – In a notable gathering at the presidential residence, President Yoon Suk Yeol hosted former President Park Geun-hye for lunch on Friday, marking their third meeting since Yoon's inauguration in May 2022.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during the luncheon, President Yoon inquired about Park's health and frequency of her visits to Seoul. Park, who has been living in her hometown of Daegu, approximately 237 kilometers southeast of Seoul, since her pardon in 2021, informed Yoon that she visits Seoul every one or two months. In response, Yoon encouraged her to visit more frequently.
This meeting is significant, considering the history between Yoon and Park. Yoon, as a prosecutor in 2016, led the investigation team into Park's corruption scandal, which resulted in her impeachment, removal from office, and subsequent imprisonment.
Following their lunch, President Yoon and former President Park took a stroll in the garden of the residence. Yoon shared the history of the residence, explaining that it was originally constructed to serve as the foreign minister's official residence in 1968, on the orders of Park's father and former President Park Chung-hee.
The presidential residence, where the luncheon took place, was previously the foreign minister's residence. President Yoon moved into the residence last year to be closer to the new presidential office, which he relocated from Cheong Wa Dae to the former defense ministry compound upon taking office.