First Lady Kim Hye-kyung Attends IKAA Adoptee Event, Marking First for First Ladies

First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, spouse of President Lee Jae-myung, attended the opening ceremony of the International Korean Adoptee Associations (IKAA) Gathering Korea to welcome Korean adoptees visiting their homeland from around the world and to celebrate the opening of the event.

Kim is the first among South Korean first ladies to attend an IKAA Gathering event.

Speaking at the opening ceremony held at COEX in Seoul this morning (October 19), Kim said, "I extend a warm welcome to all the adopted compatriots and their families who have traveled a long way to visit the Republic of Korea."

The IKAA Gathering is an annual event that rotates among South Korea, Europe, and the United States, with this year marking the eighth time the gathering has been held in Korea.

Around 600 people, including adoptees and their family members from 18 countries, attended the Korea gathering.

Last month in September, during a meeting with overseas Koreans in France, an adoptee expressed hope that Kim would attend the IKAA Gathering Korea.

Kim's attendance today was arranged to fulfill that promise, according to Blue House Deputy Spokesperson Ahn Gwi-ryeong.

In her congratulatory speech, Kim said, "To some, the Republic of Korea may be an unfamiliar country, and to others, it may be a homeland long yearned for. It may also be a place you have come to with countless questions in search of your roots and identity." She added, "Whatever brought you here, I hope this will be a time for you to grow closer to your homeland and form precious new connections."

She also said, "I hope you fully take in the beautiful autumn scenery, delicious Korean food, and the warm affection of neighbors," adding, "I hope the elegance, charm, and beauty of your motherland remain in your memories for a long time."

During the event, Agnes Dahlberg, a Norwegian adoptee residing in Sweden, recited her original poem "Music of Life," while Elizabeth Carelli, an adoptee from the United States, performed her original songs "Sugar" and "Electric Connection".

In response, Kim recited poet Yun Dong-ju's "A New Road".

Deputy Spokesperson Ahn explained that the recitation was intended to honor the life journey each adoptee has walked and to convey encouragement in hopes that this homeland visit leads to new relationships and hope.

Meanwhile, IKAA President Tommy Gentzel said in his welcoming address, "For relations between adoptees and South Korea to truly blossom, the harm adoptees have suffered must be recognized and lead to substantive actions toward reconciliation." He called for measures such as support for family-tracing and DNA testing initiatives, the protection of adoption records, and guarantees for adoptees' right to access their own records.

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