First lady shares hope of serving halal K-food in talks with Egyptian counterpart

First lady Kim Hea Kyung, left, and Egyptian first lady Intissar el-Sisi chat as they walk to a meeting room at the presidential palace in Cairo, Thursday. Yonhap

CAIRO — South Korean first lady Kim Hea Kyung and her Egyptian counterpart Intissar el-Sisi held talks and a luncheon in Cairo on Thursday, sharing their thoughts about traditional foods and cultural exchanges, Seoul's presidential office said.

The two met at the Egyptian presidential palace as President Lee Jae Myung and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held a summit there, vice presidential spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo said in a written briefing. Egypt is the second leg of his multination trip that will also take him to South Africa and Turkey.

During the luncheon, Intissar el-Sisi introduced traditional Egyptian dishes, and Kim noted Korean food has been gaining global attention on the back of the global popularity of Korean culture, according to Jeon.

Kim expressed hope to personally serve halal-certified Korean food, which is prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary laws, to the Egyptian first lady.

She also praised Intissar's commitment to advancing women's rights, and Intissar responded that she hopes their meeting will help further promote cultural exchanges between the two nations, Jeon said.

Following their meeting, the two first ladies toured major cultural sites, including the Giza Pyramid complex and the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum.

Kim told Intissar el-Sisi that she was impressed by Egypt's vast historical heritage and meticulous preservation efforts, suggesting exchange programs between the Egyptian museum and the National Museum of Korea.

She invited the Egyptian first lady to visit South Korea's most-visited museum during a future trip, and presented her with gifts from the museum's souvenir shop, including accessories inspired by the popular Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," Jeon said.