As part of her visit to the Republic of Korea, First Lady Olena Zelenska met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin.
The meeting was also attended by Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Rostyslav Shurma, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, and Dmytro Ponomarenko, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Korea.
Olena Zelenska thanked the government of the Republic of Korea for supporting the Peace Formula of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and condemning the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia. She emphasized the urgent needs of the country, including humanitarian demining.
"About 30% of Ukraine's territory (more than 174,000 square kilometers) has been affected by hostilities. Therefore, ahead of Afghanistan and Syria, our country is now the most mine contaminated in the world. Every day our sappers and rescuers neutralize the traps left by the enemy. On May 6 alone, we lost six pyrotechnics of the State Emergency Service in the Kherson region... We hope for the assistance of the Government of the Republic of Korea in meeting the priority needs for demining vehicles and protective equipment," she said.
As a result of the talks, the First Lady said, the Korean side is ready to provide demining vehicles and mobile X-ray machines for Ukraine.
The President's wife expressed hope that a special tribunal would be established to bring the Russian leadership to justice for starting the war.
"Justice is needed not only for Ukraine, but also for all countries that want to live in peace," the First Lady emphasized.
In addition, Olena Zelenska met with Mayor Oh Se-hoon at Seoul City Hall. In the presence of the First Lady and Mayor Oh Se-hoon, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Korea and the Seoul City Hall to promote cultural and artistic exchanges, in particular, the implementation of a project to introduce a Ukrainian-language audio guide at the Sejong Art Center.
The museum is dedicated to Sejong the Great, the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty in 1418-1450, who is considered the creator of the Korean script. The complex also houses the country's largest theater, the Art Forum Gallery, the Seoul Opera, and traditional arts groups.
"We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create the first Ukrainian-language audio guide in the Republic of Korea, which we plan to launch in the complex this year, immediately after its renovation. Ukrainians will be able to hear in their native language and discover the ancient and rich culture of the Republic of Korea. To date, we have already launched 63 audio guides in 39 countries. The Republic of Korea will be the 40th country," said Olena Zelenska.
At the same time, a concert by the academic orchestra of the Dmytro Hnatiuk Chernivtsi Philharmonic was held to introduce Ukraine's culture as part of the Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul.
Among others, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, and American politician Mark Peter Begich attended the concert.
"The Chernivtsi Philharmonic Orchestra was one of the first to give concerts in a bomb shelter at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Many of its musicians have joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but the orchestra is a regular participant in charity events in support of Ukraine, which it organizes together with colleagues from Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Luhansk, and Kherson. Through music and culture, we, the people, hear and understand each other better. Therefore, Ukrainian music is played for people to hear and understand Ukraine," Olena Zelenska said.
