APEC Summit Spouses: “Let’s Meet Again in Gyeongju”
After Melania’s Speech, No Interaction with Attending First Ladies
President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, attending the UN General Assembly, visited the United States and posed for a commemorative photo with a floral attendant at a Korean community meeting held at a hotel in New York on the 22nd (local time).
First Lady Kim Hye-kyung participated in a reception hosted by Melania Trump, the wife of then-President Donald Trump, on the 23rd (local time). The reception was held for the spouses of leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly and took place at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in Manhattan, owned by the Lotte Group.
The reception, under the theme “Fostering the Future Together,” featured a speech by Melania Trump, who said, “Let’s create a safe environment where technological innovation is possible, allowing our children’s modest dreams and hobbies to grow into the amazing possibilities of future society.”
However, Melania Trump left immediately after her speech, providing no time to interact with the attendees, including First Lady Kim.
After Melania’s speech, First Lady Kim met and interacted with spouses of leaders from countries including Vietnam, Australia, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Turkey, Lithuania, and Slovenia.
Deputy Spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo stated, “Many first ladies showed great interest in the Korean Wave cultural phenomenon,” adding, “First Lady Kim expressed hope that this would lead to ongoing cultural exchanges.” Particularly, she remarked to the spouses of APEC member countries, “We look forward to meeting again in Korea on the occasion of the APEC Summit that we are hosting.”