Mongolia Hosts 'Surprise Events' for President Lee, Including Pony Gift

On July 11 (local time), President Lee Jae-myung held a luncheon with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh at a state guesthouse shaped like a 'Ger,' a traditional Mongolian dwelling located on the grasslands, marking the final schedule of his state visit to Mongolia.

The luncheon proceeded in a friendly atmosphere and lasted for over four hours, well beyond the scheduled time, as the Mongolian side provided a series of 'surprise events' for the President and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung.

Upon arriving near the 'Ger guesthouse,' President Lee and his wife were greeted by various displays of traditional Mongolian culture.

The Mongolian side offered 'Aaruul,' a traditional dried curd snack, as a gesture of hospitality and demonstrated the traditional method of milking a mare with a pony nearby.

In a Ger in the background, traditional games such as 'Shagai' were showcased, and the traditional cooking method of preparing meat by placing hot stones inside sheepskin was demonstrated.

Following the luncheon, a 'mini Naadam show' was held, featuring wrestling matches and an acrobatic performance by Erdene-Ochir, an acrobat known for the Korean survival show 'Physical Asia.'

President Khurelsukh also presented President Lee and First Lady Kim with their names written in 'Bichig,' the traditional Mongolian script.

President Khurelsukh gifted the couple two ponies he had prepared in advance. President Lee and the First Lady named the mare 'Rainbow' and the stallion 'Gold' on the spot.

'Rainbow' and 'Gold' will be raised in Mongolia.

Kang Yu-jung, the Chief Spokesperson for the Office of the President, explained in a written briefing, "The names were inspired by the fact that Mongolia is called the 'Land of the Blue Sky' and Korea is called the 'Land of the Rainbow,' symbolizing the opening of a golden age in Korea-Mongolia relations through the meeting of the two leaders and this state visit."

With the luncheon, President Lee concludes his three-night, five-day state visit to Mongolia and his attendance at the NATO summit, and is now heading home.

At the NATO summit, President Lee proposed the 'Korea-NATO Defense Industry Partnership 2.0,' and in Mongolia, he declared a 'golden age of Korea-Mongolia relations.'

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.