HAMBURG, Germany -- When all of the leaders of state and government participating in the Group of 20 summit posed for their official photograph on Friday, President Moon Jae-in stood in the front row on the far right.

Some may wonder why the South Korean leader was located so far from the central spotlight, but his disposition was quite in accordance to protocol.

According to the ceremonial protocol of the G-20, the front row is to be allocated to presidents of states, while the second one to prime ministers and the third row in the back to chiefs of international organizations.

Within a specific row, it is the length of one's year in office which determines the position -- the longer in term, the closer to the center.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stood at the center, not solely because of her 12-year career in the position, but because Germany served as presidency in this year's session.

Moon and French President Emanuel Macron, both inaugurated in May, were thus placed in both ends of the front presidential row. US President Donald Trump, who took office in January, stood next to the French president.

By Bae Hyun-jung
Korea Herald correspondent
(tellme@heraldcorp.com)