South Korean First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and Ngo Phuong Ly, the spouse of Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, participated in a cultural exchange visit to the National Museum of Korea on Monday. The museum tour was organized as part of the official spousal program accompanying the Vietnamese leader's state visit to South Korea.
The two first ladies created a striking visual representation of their nations' cultural heritage during the visit. Ly elegantly wore a traditional yellow ao dai, Vietnam's national dress, while Kim was dressed in a light pink hanbok, Korea's traditional attire. Museum Director Yoo Hong-jun personally accompanied the distinguished guests throughout their comprehensive tour of the facility.
During the extensive museum visit, First Lady Kim took on the role of cultural ambassador, introducing her Vietnamese counterpart to some of Korea's most treasured historical artifacts. The tour included significant exhibits such as the renowned pensive Bodhisattva statue, ancient royal protocol manuscripts, traditional moon jars, various Buddha statues, and precious artifacts recovered from historic Korean temples. Kim provided detailed explanations about each piece, highlighting their cultural and historical significance to Korean heritage.
The conversation between the two spouses revealed interesting insights into the growing cultural exchange between their nations. Kim mentioned that the National Museum of Korea, which houses extensive historical and art collections spanning thousands of years, has recently experienced a remarkable surge in visitor numbers. This increase in popularity has been attributed to the success of the Netflix animated series "K-Pop Demon Hunters," which has brought renewed international attention to Korean cultural institutions.
Ly's response demonstrated the deep cultural connections already established between Vietnam and South Korea. She enthusiastically shared that young people throughout Vietnam have developed a strong affinity for Korean pop culture, particularly K-pop music, and Korean cuisine, especially kimbap, the popular seaweed-wrapped rice roll that has become a favorite snack among Vietnamese youth. Her genuine interest in Korean culture was further evidenced when the pair visited the museum's gift shop, where Ly showed particular fascination with a miniature replica of the Bodhisattva statue.
The museum visit represented just one element of a broader cultural exchange program. Earlier that same day, the two first ladies had met at the presidential office to engage in more formal discussions about enhancing cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between South Korea and Vietnam. These conversations focused on identifying new opportunities for educational, artistic, and cultural collaboration between the two nations.
The Vietnamese leader's spouse had also dedicated time to connecting with her country's diaspora community in South Korea. On Sunday, Ly held a special meeting with Vietnamese women currently living in South Korea, where she expressed her strong commitment to supporting both these women and the children of multicultural families. This outreach demonstrated Vietnam's dedication to maintaining strong ties with its citizens abroad while fostering integration within Korean society.
