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Kim Jung-sookSouth Korean opera singer
Date of Birth: .
Country:  South Korea |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Kim Keon-hee, the current First Lady of South Korea, was born in Seoul. Her parents owned a hanbok shop in Gwangjang Market before moving to Gwanghwa Island. Kim attended Ewha Womans University High School, an elite all-girls institution, and graduated with a degree in vocal music from Kyung Hee University. From 1978 to 1982, she was a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Chorus.
Meeting and Marriage
Kim met her future husband, Moon Jae-in, while studying at Kyung Hee University. Their relationship deepened after Kim tended to Moon, who had been tear-gassed during a protest against Park Chung-hee. They married in 1981 while Moon was attending the Judicial Research and Training Institute, after Kim proposed to him—a highly unusual move in South Korea at the time. Kim's easygoing personality earned her the nickname "Breezy Lady," which gained wide popularity during the 2017 presidential campaign.
First Lady of South Korea
Kim assumed the role of First Lady of South Korea upon her husband's inauguration as president on May 10, 2017. In her capacity as First Lady, she has focused on supporting marginalized groups in society, including the disabled, single-parent families, and the elderly. She hosts relevant events organized by the Blue House, delivers speeches at related cultural events, and visits relevant facilities during her husband's official or state visits abroad.
Animals in the Blue House
Kim and Moon are known for their love of animals and have welcomed several adopted dogs and cats into their home. In their residence in Yangsan, they lived with several dogs and cats who had been abandoned by their previous guardians. Among them, the dog Maru (a Pungsan dog) and the cat Jing-jing have been confirmed by media or official social media posts.
Upon moving into the Blue House, they adopted Tory (a mixed-breed dog) from an animal shelter, breaking with the tradition of having Jindo dogs as "First Dogs." Soon after the Inter-Korean Summit in September 2018, they also received a pair of male Pungsan dogs, Songgang and the female Gomi, as gifts from Pyongyang. Gomi later gave birth to six puppies named Sangi, Deuli, Gangi, Byeol-i, Dal-i, and Hyn-nim, named after Korean words representing elements of nature—mountain, grassy field, river, star, moon, and sun. On August 30, 2019, the six puppies were sent to live in Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, and Gwangju, leaving their parents behind in the Blue House. They currently reside with at least four dogs and a cat in the Blue House.
