Ukrainian embassy thanks first lady for yellow-blue look

First lady Kim Keon-hee visits a Korean grocery store at Maravillas Market in Madrid, June 30. The Embassy of Ukraine in Korea posted a photo of Kim on social media Friday and thanked her for showing solidarity by wearing the colors of Ukraine. Yonhap

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The Embassy of Ukraine in Korea thanked Korean first lady Kim Keon-hee for wearing an outfit evoking the colors of the Ukrainian flag during her visit to Madrid.

The embassy posted pictures of Kim visiting a Korean grocery in the Maravillas Market in Madrid, June 30, wearing a yellow blouse and a blue skirt, on social media, Friday.

"First lady of Korea Kim Keon-hee wearing the colors known throughout the world ― yellow and blue, which mean resistance and courage," the embassy wrote on Twitter with yellow and blue heart symbols.

Yellow and blue are the colors of the Ukrainian flag and have been used to show solidarity with the country during Russia's invasion since February.

Kim made her first overseas trip as a presidential spouse by accompanying President Yoon Suk-yeol to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Madrid, Spain from June 27 to July 1.

According to the presidential office, Kim mentioned Ukraine to U.S. first lady Jill Biden during an official program for the spouses of leaders, June 29. Kim told Biden that she was moved by the U.S. first lady's visit to Ukraine alone in May and that the visit had served as an opportunity for more people to take an interest in the war in Ukraine.

Kim wore the yellow-and-blue attire the next day, when she visited one of the largest markets in Madrid to show encouragement to Koreans living in Spain, instead of participating in the official spouse program.

Kim met with a Korean grocery owner who has been living in Madrid for 33 years and thanked her for her efforts to bridge Korea and Spain.