Korean, French first ladies visit 'hanji' art exhibition in Paris

PARIS — Korean first lady Kim Hea Kyung and French president Brigitte Macron jointly visited an exhibition showcasing artworks crafted with hanji, traditional Korean paper, in Paris. The event, titled "Hanjimania," took place at Hotel de La Marine as part of Paris Design Week. This visit occurred during Korean President Lee Jae Myung's recent trip to France, which spanned from Sunday to Wednesday for a summit with French President Macron.

Following the meeting, the first ladies engaged in discussions with the exhibition's Korean and French directors and participating artists to understand the significance of the showcase and the processes involved in creating the artworks. They sat together within a hanji artwork that resembled a segmented room and listened as Kim discussed the characteristics of hanji with Macron, detailing South Korea's endeavors to have the traditional knowledge and skills related to hanji recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The first ladies participated in a performance where they added finishing touches to a hanji artwork, clapping and embracing each other upon completion.