BUSAN, November 18 (RIA Novosti) - Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member states are meeting for an official dinner hosted by South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun.
The leaders of 19 countries, as well as of Hong Kong and Taiwan, which are formally part of China, are attending the two-day APEC summit in the South Korean port of Busan.
The banquet hall is decorated in violets and blues, and fresh flowers line the dining table.
The VIP guests will be offered a meal of traditional Korean cuisine and a live music concert featuring a South Korean opera singer and a pop star.
The organizers of the event said the food was excellent in terms of taste, color, and nutritional value and would be refreshing for the guests.
A seasonal salad with ginseng and scallops will be served as the starter for the multiple-course dinner. Chefs said the rich protein dish would help guests recharge their batteries after the long journey to Busan.
Barbecued king-size shrimp, beef cooked with wild mushrooms, and steamed rice will be offered as the main course. The exquisite Korean dish known as shinsollo - a medley of meat, fish, vegetables, and gingko nuts - will be prepared in a special pot right in the dining hall. In the past, this dish would have been served exclusively to members of the royalty.
A wide selection of Korean pickled vegetables, known as kimchi, will be served as side dishes.
The meal will conclude with a desert of traditional Korean cookies, lemon beverages, and fresh fruit.
The wine list will include locally produced varietals made from Phellinus linteus fungi, valued for their exceptional medicinal properties.
The APEC summit opened Friday afternoon with a closed-door session followed by a meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council.
On Saturday, the leaders are scheduled to have one more session, which will culminate in the adoption of a final communique.
