President Lee Jae-myung's wife, Kim Hea-kyung, took the stage at a cooking contest and made food herself.
According to the presidential office on the 12th, Kim attended the "Savory Cooking Contest" held the previous afternoon at Sejong University in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, and made "japchae pasta" with Chef Oh Se-deuk and Oh Yu-gyeong, head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The menu uses Korean ingredients and cooking methods and was inspired by "tteok japchae," which Kim introduced in her 2018 cookbook, Make Rice.
At the event, Kim said, "I have long been interested in cooking. I am glad to help spread healthy cooking methods with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety." She then highlighted as the appeal of Korean food "the aromas and flavors created by the harmony of fresh seasonal ingredients and seasonings," and introduced the recipe for "lotus root with black sesame dressing," which helps discharge sodium and is rich in nutrition.
After the demonstration, at a "food talk" event that followed, she shared food and conversations with foreign participants and others. Kim said, "I hope everyone around the world enjoys K-food filled with care and nutrition," adding, "I will continue to work to spread a healthy dietary culture."
Kim has previously carried out cooking-related activities. After publishing a cookbook in 2018, she accompanied the president in 2022 when he was a candidate to an event where he cooked tteokguk with young people ahead of the presidential election, calling herself "Kim Jang-geum (Kim Hye-kyung + Dae Jang Geum)."
The "Savory Cooking Contest" is an annual event hosted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to promote healthy dishes with reduced sodium and sugar. This year's theme was "creating my own K-fusion healthy dish," reflecting the rise of single-person households and the global popularity of K-food.