Xi and Lee trade jokes about "backdoors" in a gift swap at APEC sidelines in Gyeongju

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in Gyeongju during the APEC summit, where the two leaders exchanged gifts in a friendly atmosphere.

Xi presented Lee and his wife with a flagship curved-screen smartphone from Xiaomi, along with a traditional set of the Four Treasures of the Study.

Lee humorously asked about the phone's communication security, prompting Xi to suggest he check for any back doors himself, leading to laughter between the pair.

In return, Lee gave Xi a top-grade Go board made from prized wood of Torreya nucifera, a tree native to South Korea's Jeju Island, as well as a traditional Korean mother-of-pearl inlay lacquered tray.

The South Korean presidential office noted that during Xi's visit to the country 11 years ago, he had received a set of Go stones as a gift.

The mother-of-pearl tray symbolizes the hope for a long-lasting friendly relationship between the two nations.