Seoul, Aug 12
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung hosted Vietnam's top leader, To Lam, and his spouse at the presidential guesthouse Tuesday for a musical performance and a stroll, in a gesture of closer friendship between the two nations, Lee's office said.
The invitation to the Sangchunjae guesthouse inside the Cheong Wa Dae presidential compound came as part of Lam's state visit to South Korea this week. Hosting a state guest there is considered the highest form of diplomatic courtesy.
Both Kim and Ngo Phuong Ly, Lam's spouse, wore hanbok, traditional Korean dress. Ly's blue hanbok was gifted by the first lady, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing to media, News Agency reported.
The two couples enjoyed performances of traditional instruments from both countries and tried playing the dan da, a Vietnamese percussion instrument made of stone, themselves.
Lee described its sound as the "sound of nature in the truest sense," Kang said.