President Lee Jae-myung gave customized gifts to Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and spouse. He presented a drum set to Prime Minister Takaichi, who was a drummer in a band, and a set of brass and lacquered tableware to the prime minister's spouse, who succeeded in marriage through cooking.
According to the Blue House on the 14th, President Lee Jae-myung gave a drum set to Prime Minister Takaichi. The Blue House said the choice reflected that Takaichi formed a rock band in high school and played as a drummer, and even carried drumsticks around after first being elected to parliament, showing drums are a hobby.
A Blue House official added, "As the central instrument leading rhythm, drums symbolize both strong drive and flexible harmony, aligning with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's political philosophy." In particular, the drumsticks gifted by the president feature added mother-of-pearl lacquer decoration by master artisan Jang Chun-chul.
The president and the prime minister also played drums together during a chat after their summit the previous day. They played the theme song "Golden" from "K-pop Demon Hunters" and BTS' "Dynamite" together. After hearing tips on drumming from the prime minister, the president was quoted as saying, "Today I fulfilled a lifelong dream. Since childhood, it was my wish to play the drums."
Later on X (Twitter), the president said, "I tried to sneak in and add a spoon, but the skills of a pro are indeed different," and added, "Just as our hearts aligned to keep the rhythm even if the beat was a bit off, we will build a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship with one heart."
In addition, the president also gifted red ginseng and powdered and pill-form cheonggukjang.
To the prime minister's spouse, former Lower House member Yamamoto Taku, he presented a set of hand-crafted brass lacquered tableware and stone plates, along with a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. The hand-crafted brass lacquered tableware and stone plate set was inspired by the spouse's proposal to the prime minister, saying, "I will make you delicious food for the rest of your life."
A Blue House official said, "It conveys the wish that, following the recovery of health, the two's special bond through cooking will continue with peaceful times of cooking and dining together again."
The accompanying Galaxy Watch Ultra was explained as intended to help the prime minister's spouse manage condition.
Prime Minister Takaichi gave the president a Casio wristwatch and gifted first lady Kim Hea-kyung a makeup brush and pouch. The Casio wristwatch, equipped with solar charging and direction measurement functions, was described as a useful gift for the president, whose hobby is hiking. The makeup brush Kim received is a product of Akashiya, which inherits the brush-making tradition of the Nara region where the summit was held.
In addition, the welcome kit provided at the president's accommodation featured monaka and wagashi from the Nara region. They included "Mimuro Monaka," a specialty of Shiratamaya Eiju, a long-standing shop in Nara Prefecture, as well as persimmon monaka, Kasuga, and Yoshinokuzu.