First Lady Kim Hea Kyung, who accompanied President Lee Jae-myung on his state visit to China, met Peng Liyuan, the spouse of Chinese President Xi Jinping, for the first time on the 5th and shared tea. First Lady Kim told Peng, “I have been a fan for a long time,” and Peng said, “I would like to express my gratitude.”

On this day at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, First Lady Kim shared tea with Peng. It was the first time the two had met. Previously, when President Xi paid a state visit to Korea last October on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, Peng did not accompany him.

Peng said, “(In Gyeongju) President Lee held a grand welcoming ceremony. At that time, First Lady Kim also conveyed her regards to me,” expressing her thanks. First Lady Kim replied, “I had expected First Lady Peng to come to the APEC summit and was looking forward to it, so I was very disappointed when you did not,” and added, “I am very glad to see you in Beijing, and in fact I have long been a fan of yours.”

Peng said, “Thank you,” and recalled her 2014 state visit to Korea with President Xi. She said, “At that time, I visited the very beautiful Changdeokgung Palace and took a look around Dongdaemun Market at night,” adding, “The warm, welcoming character of the Korean people left a deep impression on me.”

Earlier that day, First Lady Kim hosted an event at the Korean Embassy serving tteok-mandu-guk to nine women who have contributed to exchanges between the two countries.

Wearing a sky-blue apron, First Lady Kim said, “In Korea, when the New Year comes, we make and eat tteokguk, and I am told that in China there is a custom of making dumplings during holidays such as the Spring Festival,” and added, “By sharing tteok-mandu-guk that blends Korea’s tteokguk and China’s dumplings, I hope this year will be peaceful and bountiful for everyone.”

As she topped the tteok-mandu-guk with egg strips and seaweed garnish, First Lady Kim said, “I think relations between the two countries will keep getting better.”

Wang Dan, director of the Center for the Korean Peninsula at Beijing University, said, “The friendship between Korea and China reached us as a flavor perfectly presented on the table through the First Lady’s touch,” adding, “This is not simply a lunch; I believe it is genuine affection that transcends language and borders.”