Yoon, Kishida bond over drinks at popular eatery

By Lee Haye-ah

TOKYO, March 17 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have bonded over a couple of drinks at a popular eatery in Tokyo, a person familiar with the exchange said.

The two leaders, who held summit talks earlier in the day Thursday, visited Rengatei, a Western-style establishment known as the birthplace of Japanese pork cutlets and "omurice," or omelets on fried rice, where they shared glasses of beer to begin with.

Yoon then suggested they add soju, traditional Korean distilled liquor, to the mix as a symbol of harmony, the person said, and Kishida likened the taste to the taste of the friendship between South Korea and Japan.

The two leaders later tasted a Japanese sweet potato liquor.

Yoon told Kishida he would like to take the bilateral relationship to a new high, to which Kishida responded that he expects relations between the two countries to improve and hopes to have a similar casual meeting with Yoon when he eventually visits South Korea, the person said.

hague@yna.co.kr
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