By Jun Ji-hye
First lady Kim Keon Hee will meet with her U.S. counterpart Jill Biden at least three times during her husband President Yoon Suk Yeol's six-day state visit to the United States. Yoon and Kim departed for Washington, D.C., Monday.
The two first ladies have several things in common, including a deep knowledge of art.
Yoon's visit is taking place in a symbolic year marking the 70th anniversary of the Korea- U.S. alliance, and the two first ladies will exchange greetings when the two presidential couples visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington on Tuesday (local time).
The first ladies will also meet each other during another informal social gathering for the presidential couples on Tuesday night and during a state dinner hosted by the U.S. president and first lady on Wednesday night after the summit and joint press conference by the two leaders.
Kim, the former head of an art event-planning company, has worked in various fields, including art and the environment as well as for the rights of children and animals.
The U.S. first lady is also known to be interested in art. She is holding a temporary art exhibition at the White House to mark April ― the Month of the Military Child ― to educate visitors about the lives of military children, according to AP.
Last year, Kim gave a book about American painter Mark Rothko as a present for the U.S. first lady when her husband visited Seoul. At that time, the U.S. first lady did not accompany her husband.
They last met last June at an official program for the spouses of leaders attending the NATO Summit in Madrid.
At that time, the U.S. first lady advised her Korean counterpart to be herself while discussing the pressures of being the president's wife, according to the presidential office.
First lady Kim Keon Hee will meet with her U.S. counterpart Jill Biden at least three times during her husband President Yoon Suk Yeol's six-day state visit to the United States. Yoon and Kim departed for Washington, D.C., Monday.
 |
| First lady Kim Keon Hee, left, poses with U.S. first lady Jill Biden during their meeting at a dinner hosted by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain at the Royal Palace of Madrid in the Spanish capital in this photo taken on June 28, 2022. Courtesy of presidential office |
Yoon's visit is taking place in a symbolic year marking the 70th anniversary of the Korea- U.S. alliance, and the two first ladies will exchange greetings when the two presidential couples visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington on Tuesday (local time).
The first ladies will also meet each other during another informal social gathering for the presidential couples on Tuesday night and during a state dinner hosted by the U.S. president and first lady on Wednesday night after the summit and joint press conference by the two leaders.
Kim, the former head of an art event-planning company, has worked in various fields, including art and the environment as well as for the rights of children and animals.
The U.S. first lady is also known to be interested in art. She is holding a temporary art exhibition at the White House to mark April ― the Month of the Military Child ― to educate visitors about the lives of military children, according to AP.
Last year, Kim gave a book about American painter Mark Rothko as a present for the U.S. first lady when her husband visited Seoul. At that time, the U.S. first lady did not accompany her husband.
They last met last June at an official program for the spouses of leaders attending the NATO Summit in Madrid.
At that time, the U.S. first lady advised her Korean counterpart to be herself while discussing the pressures of being the president's wife, according to the presidential office.
![[INTERVIEW] 'Now is time for Koreans to unlock potential in Africa'](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/9236a17d88ea472b862b237c9788069d.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Meet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/df32c60c8204448e98ccdb9841366bec.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
