First Lady Kim Hye-kyung Touched by Experiencing Jeju Cuisine in Singapore: "Truly Moving"

First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, who is on a state visit to Singapore with President Lee Jae-myung, is viewing exhibits on the 2nd at the Temenggong Artist in Residence, a nonprofit arts charity and artist residence in Singapore, ahead of a tea meeting with Jane Itoogi Shanmugaratnam, the wife of the Singaporean president. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On March 2 (local time), First Lady Kim Hye-kyung attended a Korean tourism field meeting held in Singapore, where she remarked, "Seeing our cherished Jeju culture permeating Singapore is truly moving."

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Ahn Gwiryeong announced that, on this afternoon, Mrs. Kim visited the 'Haenyeo's Kitchen Singapore Branch' and made these comments during her participation in the field meeting.

This event was organized to directly observe the potential for 'regional tourism revitalization' abroad-an agenda highlighted at the recent expanded National Tourism Strategy Meeting-and to engage in communication with relevant stakeholders. Haenyeo's Kitchen is a complex venue that presents Jeju's haenyeo culture and culinary traditions through performances and food, and it expanded into Singapore in December last year.

Mrs. Kim emphasized, "The reason why the story of Jeju's haenyeo resonates in Singapore is because it builds a sense of solidarity around shared issues such as coexistence with nature and the sustainability of communities. A virtuous cycle should be further expanded, where unique regional cultures are developed into content and utilized as tourism resources, thereby fostering local economic growth and providing tourists with deeply meaningful experiences."

She further stated, "Travel is ultimately completed only when every stage-from experiencing and understanding local culture, to purchasing products, transportation, accommodation, and hands-on activities-flows organically together. Based on the diverse opinions shared today, I will actively support efforts to ensure that foreign tourists can fully enjoy Korea without inconvenience." She also stressed, "The interest and passion of everyone gathered here is more important than anything else."

Prior to the meeting, Mrs. Kim experienced a dining performance introducing haenyeo culture and Jeju cuisine, themed around Jeju's four seasons. She sampled Jeju's traditional foods, tailored to each season, and even participated in the performance by playing the traditional Korean percussion instrument, the kkwaenggwari.

Mrs. Kim shared her impressions, saying, "Even though I had already eaten lunch, I couldn't stop reaching for more because it was so delicious. The unique flavors of Jeju are wonderfully preserved."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.