[Photo] SK government uses state dinner to remind Trump of outstanding issues with Japan

When US President Donald Trump was given his state dinner upon arrival at the Blue House on Nov. 7, the South Korean government used the occasion to deliver the message that the United States needs to mediate the outstanding historical and territorial disputes between South Korea and Japan. In addition to inviting comfort woman survivor Lee Yong-su to the meal, the Blue House also served shrimp from Dokdo Island as part of the dinner. This was meant to remind Trump that Dokdo is Korean territory, regardless of Japan’s continuing claims to the island. The Japanese government voiced its objections, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga saying, “Foreign nations will avoid commenting on this issue, but I wonder why it’s being brought up. It is necessary to avoid taking actions that adversely impact the close solidarity between South Korea, the US, and Japan.”

For his part, Trump may have just preferred to be served a burger from McDonald’s. On the same day as the US president was eating his meal of stir fried noodles with vegetables, a story broke in American news outlets that he had regularly sent his bodyguard, Keith Schiller, out to McDonald’s because he was upset that White House chefs couldn’t replicate the famous Quarter Pounder. (provided by Blue House)