Second Gentleman Pool Reports of May 11, 2022

SGOTUS pool report #1 - War Memorial of Korea

Happy Wednesday.

I am your pooler for second day of Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff's trip to Seoul. Visits to War Memorial of Korea and Gwangjang Market are on the SG's (press-accessible) schedule for today in Seoul. Please see below for background from the SG's office. He is flying out of South Korea later today to head back to the U.S.

SG Doug Emhoff entered the main gate of the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul at 10:12 a.m. (local time). He is wearing black suit, navy patterned tie and black mask. He was also wearing a USA & South Korea flag lapel pin.

Lee Sang-cheol, Chairman of the War Memorial led the SG and the US delegation on a tour around the museum.

The first stop was an outdoor wall with names of Korean war veterans. Emhoff pointed to names of veterans from New York, saying, "I was born in New York."

They went into the War Memorial and went on a quick tour due to time constraints. The pool was about 15 feet away from the tour group due to the narrow hallways of the museum, and could not hear clearly what was being said. The SG appeared to be mostly listening to the tour guide explanation.

At the end of the tour, the SG and Chairman Lee stamped U.S. and South Korean flags onto paper, shook hands and posed for photo.

The pool was pulled at 10:54. SG Emhoff is headed to an embassy meet-and-greet at the US Ambassador's Residence, which will be closed to press.

Below is the background information about the SG's Second day in Seoul provided by his office.

BACKGROUND: SECOND GENTLEMAN LEADS PRESIDENTIAL DELEGATION TO THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Wednesday, May 11
Prior to departing Seoul, Mr. Emhoff and the Presidential Delegation will participate in three engagements:

War Memorial of Korea Visit
Mr. Emhoff and the Presidential Delegation will receive a tour of the War Memorial of Korea. The War Memorial of Korea opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters to commemorate actors and victims in the wars which led to the modern South Korean nation state. The memorial building has six indoor exhibition rooms and an outdoor exhibition center displaying war memorabilia and military equipment from China, South Korea, and the United States, including approximately 33,000 artifacts and about 10,000 on display.

Embassy Family Meeting

After the tour of the War Memorial, Mr. Emhoff and the Presidential Delegation will meet with Mission Korea staff and their families to thank them for their service. The event will take place at the Chief of Mission Residence (CMR), also known as the Habib House. The Charge D'Affaires Mr. Christopher Del Corso will host this engagement.

Gwangjang Market Tour

Mr. Emhoff and the Presidential Delegation will visit the Gwangjang Market, known for its range of food stalls, handmade goods, and textiles. First established in 1905, Gwangjang Market is the oldest continuously operated market in Seoul. The market is home to more than 5,000 shops and 20,000 employees in a warehouse-like space of 42,000 square meters. Pre-pandemic, approximately 65,000 people visited the market daily. Originally, the market only sold produce and seafood. Today, though, the market has expanded to vendors selling prepared foods, groceries, Korean traditional medicines, handmade goods, and textiles.

SGOTUS pool report #2 - Gwangjang Market Tour

SG Doug Emhoff arrived at Gwangjang Market in central Seoul at 1:15 pm (local time). Gwangjang is a traditional Korean market popular with tourists and locals for its food stalls and shops.

Hong Seok-cheon, a prominent openly gay celebrity (a rarity in South Korea where homosexuality is still taboo), guided the SG on a tour of the market.

They stopped at a food stall selling Korean pancakes. The SG and Mr.Hong were handed folded pancakes in paper cups and they toasted with the cups. Mr. Hong taught Emhoff how to say "Cheers" in Korean. People at the market surrounded the food stall to take photos of them.

They then went to a sit-down lunch at a Korean restaurant in the market. Hong explained the menu to the SG and taught him how to say them in Korean.

The pool was only present for the beginning of the lunch and were pulled to have lunch at a different place.

After the lunch, the SG took a walk along the Cheoonggyecheon stream that flows through downtown Seoul. Cheoonggyecheon reopened to the public in 2005 as an urban park after Seoul government removed the pavement that used to cover the stream. Some citizens at the park waved at the SG and the delegation. The SG got into his car shortly before 3pm.

This is the last pool report from me in Seoul. The SG will fly out of South Korea later today to the US.

Let me know if you have any questions or need more info. Thanks.