First Lady of Korea Surprises Korean Youths, Visits a Restaurant to Meet and Have Tea with Them

NEW DELHI/SEOUL: For a group of young South Korean entrepreneurs living in India, the recent visit of the First Lady of the Republic of Korea, Kim Keon Hee, proved to be unforgettable. For almost an hour, select members of the Korean Youth Commerce Association in India (KYCI) engaged in a candid and informal conversation with the First Lady while enjoying Korean tea.

The First Lady inquired about the reasons these youths came to India and whether they faced any difficulties in their local life. She also asked about their future business plans in India and motivated them to excel in their respective work areas.

The First Lady traveled to India with her husband, President Yoon Suk Yeol, to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi. Her itinerary during her two-day stay included visits to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Park at Rajghat and the National Gallery of Modern Art, in addition to the G20 Summit venue, Bharat Mandapam. Visiting the all-Korean cuisine restaurant Gung the Palace in Gurugram was not on the schedule.

However, it all started on the first day of her visit to India on September 8th evening – a day before the start of the G20 Summit (September 9-10), when she, along with her husband, landed in New Delhi and reached a Gurugram-based hotel where their stay was planned.

“On September 8th, during the Gala dinner hosted by the Korean compatriots living and working in India to welcome the First Lady and the President, I informed the First Lady about the existence of the Korean Youth Commerce Association in India. I told her that I am the president of this association of young Korean micro-entrepreneurs. At this, she told me she would like to meet some of these young Koreans. I thought she said so in a lighter vein. That evening, I also had selfies with the First Lady and the President, like many other Koreans did,” Kim Jin Bum, President of the Korean Youth Commerce Association in India, told the Asian Community News (ACN) Network. He also owns a chain of Korean restaurants – Gung The Palace in India.

The KYCI is a trade body representing young Korean self-employed individuals, micro-entrepreneurs, and start-ups in New Delhi and NCR towns, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and other cities in India. This NextGen trade body was constituted in January of the previous year to support young Korean entrepreneurs in India and also to attract more young entrepreneurs from South Korea to India.

Mr. Kim said that it was on September 10th (Sunday) when he received a call from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in New Delhi, saying that the First Lady wanted to visit his Korean restaurant ‘Gung The Palace’ in Sector 29 in Gurugram in the afternoon to meet a select group of young Korean entrepreneurs.

“As shocked as I was, I couldn’t believe my ears. The embassy diplomat said that she would only have tea with the young Koreans over discussion and would avoid lunch. I hurriedly called five young Korean entrepreneurs and asked them to rush to my restaurant. Six of us spent a memorable time with the First Lady on that Sunday,” said Mr. Kim.

During the meeting, the First Lady stated, “India’s interest in Korea is increasing its market potential in various areas.” She urged them to play a key role in the expansion of the Korean economy globally. She also said that Korean youth should face the challenges prevalent in the Indian market boldly and encouraged them, saying, “I look forward to increased activities of my young compatriots in the future.”

The participating young Koreans mentioned that the moments spent with the First Lady were unforgettable.