President Yoon Suk Yeol has met with a group of businesspeople over chicken and beer on the front lawn of his office, saying the government is doing its best to support them by ensuring the market runs fairly and efficiently.

Around 500 people were invited to the gathering Tuesday evening, including heads of small and medium-sized enterprises and startups, and small merchants, for an annual event celebrating the achievements of SMEs.

"Quality jobs are not created by the government's direct funding but by companies and startups, and the spirit of challenge," Yoon said.

On the government's role, he said, "We are doing our best to ensure the market runs fairly and efficiently."

Yoon called on businesses to more boldly enter the global market with the attitude that "the world market is my market," saying the government will do its best to support them.

During the event, Yoon also presented government awards to SME leaders who have contributed to the country's economic development.

This was the second consecutive year Yoon hosted the event on the front lawn of the presidential office.

Also in attendance were the chiefs of conglomerates, such as Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung.

For dinner was "chimaek," the Korean portmanteau for chicken and beer.

At one point during the event, the organizers played "American Pie" in the background, in an apparent nod to Yoon's rendition of the song that went viral. Yoon performed it during a state dinner at the White House when he visited Washington last month.

Yoon recalled to the attendees that during his 11 bilateral summits before, during and after his attendance at the Group of Seven in Hiroshima, Japan, last weekend, almost all of his foreign counterparts mentioned his rendition of the song, according to Yoon's office. (Yonhap)