Singaporean Prime Minister's Wife Says "People Envied Me for Attending GD's Concert"... Fosters Friendship with First Lady Kim Hye-kyung

First Ladies of Korea and Singapore Foster Friendship During Summit
Discuss Shared Interests in Women's Social Participation, Educational Passion, and Cultural Cooperation
First Lady Kim Presents Her Cookbook "Let's Make Rice" as a Gift

On November 2, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Ahn Gwi-ryeong announced that First Lady Kim Hye-kyung spent time fostering friendship with Lu Zhi Rui, the wife of Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is visiting Korea together with her husband.

Yonhap News Agency

First Lady Kim expressed her delight at meeting Mrs. Lu again in Seoul, following their previous encounters in Kuala Lumpur during the ASEAN-related summits and in Gyeongju during the APEC summit. She remarked that it was particularly meaningful to strengthen the friendship between the two countries in this special year marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

In response, Lu Zhi Rui thanked Mrs. Kim for her hospitality during the APEC summit and shared that her experience in Gyeongju was especially memorable. She added, "There is no one in Singapore who does not know the singer G-Dragon," and mentioned that she became the envy of those around her for attending the welcome dinner performance.

First Lady Kim and Mrs. Lu discussed shared interests such as women's participation in society, the strong educational drive in both countries, and cultural cooperation. When Mrs. Kim noted the active social advancement of women in Singapore, Mrs. Lu replied that the Singaporean government is implementing various policies to support women's participation in economic activities, and that both countries share a commitment to achieving work-life balance and addressing low birth rates.

The two first ladies also agreed that, given both countries' limited natural resources and high dependence on external factors, they share a strong interest in nurturing outstanding talent through education. They expressed hope for continued cooperation in educating future generations.

Mrs. Lu mentioned her visit to Bulguksa Temple with other spouses of national leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, saying she had developed an interest in temple stays and temple cuisine. When Mrs. Lu noted the popularity of K-food in Singapore-such as japchae, kimchi stew, soft tofu stew, and bulgogi-and mentioned Mrs. Kim's cookbook, Mrs. Kim presented her with a copy of her book "Let's Make Rice" on the spot.

First Lady Kim said she hoped Mrs. Lu experienced the diverse charms of Korea during her visits to both Gyeongju and Seoul. According to Deputy Spokesperson Ahn, the two first ladies expressed their expectation that active exchanges of people and culture would further deepen the ties between their countries, and they promised to meet again at the next opportunity.