Lee Jae-myung Toasts "We Are Family" at Dinner with Global Big Tech CEOs (Comprehensive)

Dinner with Global Big Tech CEOs Held at a Terrace Restaurant
President Lee Toasts with Bottled Beer and Fish and Chips
Jensen Huang Jokes to Deputy Prime Minister Bae, "Buy More Beer"
President Lee Quips, "I Can't—I'm a Government Official"

President Lee Jae-myung, who is currently visiting San Francisco, USA, held a dinner on the 24th (local time) with top executives of global big tech companies, including CEOs, at a local seaside restaurant on an outdoor terrace overlooking the ocean.

President Lee Jae-myung is making a toast with attendees at the Global AI Leaders Dinner held on the 24th (local time) at The Ramp Restaurant in San Francisco, USA. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Previously, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, visited Korea last year and had a “chimaek” (chicken and beer) gathering at Kkanbu Chicken with Lee Jae-yong, Executive Chairman of Samsung Electronics, and Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group.

Kang Yucheong, Senior Presidential Spokesperson, explained that just as they naturally developed rapport at that previous meeting, this event was organized with the intention of sharing California cuisine and engaging in open conversation without formality.

The menu included fish and chips, fried calamari, crab cakes, clam chowder, and light beer was also served.

Attendees included CEO Huang; Hock Tan, President and CEO of Broadcom; Rani Borkar, President of Microsoft Azure Hardware; Lee Jae-yong, Executive Chairman of Samsung Electronics; Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group; Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group; and Lee Hae-jin, Chairman of the Board at Naver.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyunghoon and Kim Yongbeom, policy chief at the Presidential Office, also joined the gathering.

President Lee, seemingly referencing the “Kkanbu Chicken meeting,” joked, “We must be missing chicken,” and lightly toasted with beer bottles together with the attendees.

President Lee remarked, “In Korea, we call people who share meals with us ‘family.’ Not only in Korea, but around the world, sharing a meal has great significance. When I shout ‘We are,’ please respond with ‘family!’” He then led the toast.

CEO Jensen Huang responded in kind, saying, “We are family.”

President Lee also asked CEO Huang, “Did your youth spent frequenting Yongsan Electronics Market become a major source of inspiration for you?” When Huang replied affirmatively, Lee gave a thumbs-up gesture as their conversation continued.

During the meal, when Deputy Prime Minister Bae offered to pay, CEO Huang joked that he should buy more beer, and President Lee quipped in response, “I can’t—I’m a government official.”

President Lee also remarked, “(Deputy Prime Minister Bae) was once a researcher at LG,” to which CEO Huang replied, “Then you must have made a lot of money.” President Lee responded with humor, “We recruited him right before he could make money, so he missed his chance,” which drew laughter from the group.

Additionally, during the private portion of the dinner, President Lee said, “Thanks to business leaders like you, Korea’s economic growth rate has risen significantly—this is the best performance in decades.” He encouraged the attendees and asked them to continue contributing to the development of the industrial ecosystem, according to policy chief Kim Yongbeom’s briefing.

In response, the CEOs commented, “Korea is already one of the global top three countries. AI technology is indeed challenging, but it is by no means impossible. We expect that by investing in Korea, it will be possible to develop a world-class frontier AI model in a short time.”

They further suggested, “While it is fine for Korea to use other countries’ AI models, there is a need for Korea to develop its own unique AI model.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.