First Lady Kim Geon-hee's Social Time with the Spouse of the Supreme Leader
President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are holding Alabai, the national dog of Turkmenistan, during a state banquet at a hotel in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on the 10th (local time), posing for a commemorative photo with President Serdar Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan and his spouse. [Image source=Yonhap News]
First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, had a separate social meeting with Mrs. Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova, wife of the Supreme Leader and Chairman of the People's Council, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, on the morning of the 11th (local time) before the luncheon hosted by the Supreme Leader and his wife during her state visit to Turkmenistan.
This meeting was arranged at the special request of Mrs. Berdimuhamedova to welcome Mrs. Kim's visit, according to a written briefing by Kim Soo-kyung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office.
Earlier, Mrs. Kim shared a touching anecdote from the previous day's state banquet hosted by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and his wife. The Berdimuhamedov couple, having learned of President Yoon and Mrs. Kim's international message on animal protection, personally introduced Turkmenistan's national dog, the 'Alabay,' to the presidential couple. The Alabay is a representative shepherd dog of Turkmenistan, known for protecting families and livestock; it is large and strong and plays an important role in nomadic life.
Mrs. Kim expressed, "I was deeply moved by the thoughtful consideration shown by President and Mrs. Berdimuhamedov in preparing for us to meet three 40-day-old Alabay puppies on site." At the state banquet the day before, Mrs. Kim introduced the Jindo dog, Korea's national dog, to the Berdimuhamedov couple, mentioning that its strength and sacrificial nature in protecting family resemble those of the Alabay.
President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, dressed in traditional Turkmen attire, are taking a commemorative photo during a friendly luncheon with Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, the former President of Turkmenistan and Chairman of the People's Council, and his spouse at a hotel in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on the 11th (local time). [Photo by Yonhap News]
Mrs. Berdimuhamedova arranged an event to introduce Turkmenistan's arts and culture for Mrs. Kim. Mrs. Kim received explanations about the techniques used to create traditional Turkmen handicrafts such as carpets, embroidery, and jewelry. Encouraged by Mrs. Berdimuhamedova, Mrs. Kim tried on traditional clothing herself and added, "I want to share Turkmenistan's excellent embroidery techniques and sophisticated clothing designs with Koreans."
Following Mrs. Berdimuhamedova's encouragement, Mrs. Kim wore traditional attire and attended the social luncheon with the Supreme Leader and his wife of Turkmenistan. Before the luncheon began, Supreme Leader Berdimuhamedov expressed, "I was impressed by President Yoon and Mrs. Kim's love for animals," and conveyed his wish to present an Alabay as a gift, symbolizing continued efforts for animal protection and the development of bilateral relations.
In response, Mrs. Kim said, "I am very honored to receive the Alabay, a treasure of Turkmenistan," and pledged, "I will cherish it as a symbol of cooperation between our two countries and work harder to strengthen animal protection."
Turkmenistan installed a 6-meter-high golden statue of the Alabay in its capital Ashgabat in 2020 and designated the last Sunday of October as 'Alabay Day,' a public holiday to commemorate the dog. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the current Supreme Leader, gifted an Alabay puppy to Russian President Vladimir Putin on his birthday in October 2017 when he was president. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov implemented measures in July 2022 to restrict the export of Alabay dogs abroad and strengthen registration requirements.
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