Pair of Turkmen Alabai dogs gifted to president to arrive in Korea next week

A pair of Alabai, Turkmenistan's national dog breed, gifted to President Yoon Suk Yeol during his state visit to the Central Asian country, will be making their new home in Seoul next week.

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and first lady Kim Keon Hee, hold Turkmenistan’s national dog breed, a Central Asian shepherd known as the Alabai, in a commemorative photograph with Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, right, and his wife at a state banquet held at a hotel in Ashgabat on Monday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

A pair of Alabai, Turkmenistan's national dog breed, gifted to President Yoon Suk Yeol during his state visit to the Central Asian country, will be making their new home in Seoul next week.

Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee received the two Alabai, a Turkmen breed of Central Asian shepherd, from former Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, chairman of the People's Council and father of the current president, as gifts symbolizing bilateral friendship during their meeting in Ashgabat on Tuesday.

The Korean presidential couple had been on a state visit to Turkmenistan, the first leg of a three-country trip which wraps Saturday that also took them to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The female and male Alabai pair will arrive at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul next Tuesday after undergoing a quarantine process, a presidential official told reporters Friday, during Yoon's state visit to Uzbekistan which runs to Saturday.

The dogs will first spend time on the lawn in front of the presidential office to adapt to life in Korea before officially moving to the presidential residence, the official said.

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, and first lady Kim Keon Hee, hold Turkmenistan’s national dog breed, a Central Asian shepherd known as the Alabai, after their luncheon with former Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Tuesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

As avid pet lovers, Yoon and Kim currently raise six dogs and five cats at their official presidential residence in Hannam-dong in central Seoul.

With the Turkmen pups set to join the throng soon, the presidential couple's pet count will come to 13, including eight dogs.

The newest dogs' names have yet to be decided.

Kim met with Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova, wife of the People's Council chairman, and had an opportunity to meet with three 40-day-old Alabai dogs. The first lady also explained Korea's native Jindo dog breed to Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and his wife at a state banquet Monday, saying that both national dogs were brave and strong, according to the presidential office.

The Alabai, listed as Turkmenistan's national heritage, are known to be large and strong, with great stamina well suited for a nomadic lifestyle.

Turkmenistan designated the last Sunday in October as Alabai Day.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]