First lady Kim Jung-sook will attend Deepotsav event in Ayodhya where she will oversee the groundbreaking ceremony for the Rs 50-crore memorial of Queen Hur Hwang-ok.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s wife is in India to commemorate an ancient link between the two counties. First lady Kim Jung-sook met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday evening. During the meeting, the two discussed the deep “civilizational and spiritual” links between the two nations.
First lady Kim visited India on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation. She will be the chief guest at the Deepotsav event in Ayodhya, organised by Uttar Pradesh government. At the event on November 6, a memorial dedicated to the Korean queen Suriratna (Heo Hwang-ok) will be unveiled. Kim will be present for the groundbreaking ceremony of Queen Hur Memorial Park Project in the holy city.
As the legend goes, a young Indian princess Suriratna travelled from the holy city of Ayodhya to Korea's Gimhae, married king Suro in 48 CE and started a dynasty. Many South Koreans believe they can trace their ancestry to Ayodhya owing to his connection.
Kim shared an “affectionate bonding” with India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday. “India and ROK share a special strategic partnership since 2015 and our relations have deepened and diversified in recent years,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar in a statement on Twitter.
This will be the first time when a foreign dignitary will be attending the Diwali celebrations organised by the state government to showcase Ayodhya's heritage. The state government has also invited foreign media for coverage of the event. The foundation laying ceremony for the Rs 50-crore memorial of Queen Hur Hwang-ok, also known as Suriratna, a princess of Ayodhya who went to South Korea and married the king, would also be held during the celebrations.
She will be hosted by Ayodhya's royal family, reported TOI. Raja Ayodhya Bimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra said the family is preparing to hold a dinner for the Korean delegation on Monday.
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