First lady Kim Hea-kyung, the wife of President Lee Jae-myung, visited Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul, with Naly Sisoulith, the spouse of Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith.
Jeon Eun-su, deputy spokesperson for the presidential office, said on the 14th that after paying respects at the Daeungjeon Hall with Naly, Kim had tea at the Gwaneumjeon Hall and talked about the history of Korean Buddhism, among other topics. The visit was arranged to strengthen exchanges and solidarity by using the cultures and religions of Korea and Laos as a bridge.
Kim said, "It is all the more meaningful to visit the main temple of the largest Buddhist order in Korea, located in the heart of Seoul, together with Naly, the wife of the president of Laos, a Buddhist country," adding, "I hope exchanges and cooperation between the two countries will continue in the future."
Monk Myojang, director of planning for the Jogye Order, also welcomed Naly, saying, "Buddhism is an important spiritual foundation for Laotian society and, in Korea as well, a shared cultural asset that has upheld the values of national unity and peace throughout a long history."
Naly mentioned "som pak kat," a traditional Laotian fermented food similar to kimchi, and said, "South Korea and Laos share similarities not only in Buddhist culture but also in food culture," then added in response, "I hope this visit to Korea will deepen cultural exchanges between the two countries."