Business

First Lady Kim Keon-hee talks with foreign reporters in Paris

Along with French reporters, Kim visits a Busan special exhibition hall in Paris

By Reporter Anna Kim 

 
First Lady Kim Keon-hee, who visited France with President Yoon Suk-yeol, introduced mixed coffee to foreign reporters at the Mildawon in the Korean Cultural Center in Paris on June 20 (local time). 


On the same day, Mrs. Kim visited the Busan special exhibition to herald the Korean culture, named the 'Taste Korea 2023,' and introduced the Busan Expo to visitors. 

 

 

 

Mrs. Kim started promoting Busan's bid for the 2030 World Expo. On the afternoon of the same day, Mrs. Kim toured the 'Taste Korea 2023' Busan special exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center of France along with 14 foreign journalists from France. The exhibition consists of various spaces that introduce Busan's history, culture, and art.


The first-floor space, called "Busan Tea Room," featured old vinyl records, a spindle, a doll of "Boogie," the Busan Expo's promotional character, and a painting of the Korean Pavilion at the 1990 Paris Expo. Videos and promotional banners featuring the image of the Busan Expo key ring, which Kim helped design, were also installed throughout the center.


Kim also had mixed coffee with foreign journalists in a third-floor space decorated as a recreation of Mildawon, a coffee shop in Gwangbok-dong where artists gathered during the Korean War. She also played an impromptu performance of the Busan-themed song "Come Back to Busan Port.


First Lady Kim, dressed in a blue pantsuit, said, "I sincerely thank you for coming to Busan Dabang," adding, "Paris is a very passionate city. Before the Busan Expo (bid), Korea is very hot, and Busan is even hotter," she appealed. He asked for the attention of foreign journalists, saying, "I would be grateful if you would pay a lot of attention to Korea and Busan, and give us a lot of love until the Busan Expo succeeds."

 

On the same day, President Yoon delivered the fourth Competitive Presentation (PT) of the 172nd BIE General Assembly at the Issy-Rémolino in Paris and expressed his strong commitment to the Expo Busan bid. Speaking in English, President Yoon emphasized that "Expo Busan will be a fair where every country can fully express its unique culture, tradition and technology," and that "Expo Busan will be a platform for solutions to the complex crises facing humanity."