Diplomacy Journal Jon Lee | The First Lady of South Korea Kim Keon-hee met with the First Lady of Uzbekistan, Mrs. Ziroat Mirziyoyeva, at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace on June 14, and attended a traditional Uzbek cultural event organized by Mrs. Mirziyoyeva herself. 

Mrs. Mirziyoyeva's second daughter, Shahnoza Mirziyoyeva, First Deputy Head of the Social Security Agency, who has lived in Korea for over six years and has a special connection to the country, also made a surprise appearance at the event to welcome Mrs. Kim.

Mrs. Kim first expressed her gratitude to Mrs. Mirziyoyeva, saying that thanks to the warm hospitality and consideration of the Uzbek side, she is enjoying a comfortable stay at the State Guesthouse, a magnificent building surrounded by beautiful scenery. 

"I have heard that there are many similarities between Korea and Uzbekistan, including culture and temperament, and I look forward to our two countries working closely together to grow together," Kim said. 

In response, Mrs. Mirziyoyeva warmly welcomed President and Mrs. Yoon's state visit, noting that "local media have been covering the visit of President and Mrs. Yoon," which is proof that the people of Uzbekistan have been waiting for their visit for a long time.

Mrs. Kim then attended a cultural event in Uzbekistan organized by Mirziyoyeva for Mrs. Kim, who has a keen interest in culture. Mrs. Kim had the opportunity to view traditional crafts such as ceramics, woodwork, and embroidery made by Uzbek artisans, as well as watch a traditional Uzbek dance performance, which gave her a deeper understanding of Uzbek culture. 

In particular, when Mrs. Kim saw a traditional Uzbek embroidery called "Susan pattern," which she described as "very delicate and beautiful," Mrs. Mirziyoyeva encouraged her to try on a traditional Uzbek outfit with Susan pattern embroidery to get a real sense of Uzbek culture.

Mirziyoyeva, meanwhile, expressed her appreciation for Kim's advocacy for animal protection and said that Uzbekistan will actively participate in protecting animals, including stray dogs. 

She also said that during President Yoon's recent visit to Turkmenistan, she received an Alabai as a gift from the Turkmen leader, who was impressed by Mrs. Kim's love for animals. Mirziyoyeva also noted that Korean culture is very popular in Uzbekistan, and that she herself is very interested in Korean culture and Korean products.

Mirziyoyeva regretted the short time they had and asked to continue the conversation at the state dinner scheduled for later, and Kim responded that she would like to talk more.