First lady introduces hanji as Korean and Czech national libraries sign MOU

Korea's first lady Kim Keon Hee viewed a demonstration of the restoration of old books at the National Library of the Czech Republic on Friday and promoted hanji, traditional Korean paper, the presidential office said.

First lady Kim Keon Hee, second from left, visits St. George's Basilica, in Prague Castle, with Eva Pavlova, wife of Czech President Pavel, on Thursday to learn about Czech history and culture. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

PRAGUE — Korea's first lady, Kim Keon Hee, viewed a demonstration of the restoration of old books at the National Library of the Czech Republic on Friday and promoted hanji, traditional Korean paper, the presidential office said.

The event commemorated the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the exchange of ancient documents and manuscript restoration technology between the National Library of Korea and the National Library of the Czech Republic during President Yoon Suk Yeol's official visit to the Central European nation.

The presidential office said that the event introduced the merits of hanji, or traditional Korean mulberry paper known for its millennial durability and delicate flexibility, to the Czech Republic.

Kim Tae-hyo, principal deputy national security adviser, said in a press briefing Friday that following France's Louvre Museum and Italy's Vatican Museums, hanji is being widely used in the Czech Republic to restore ancient documents.

“We expect that this will contribute to the registration of hanji as a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity,” Kim said.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, center right, and first lady Kim Keon Hee, center left, and Czech President Petr Pavel, right, and first lady Eva Pavlova, left, pose for a commemorative photo at Prague Castle Thursday ahead of an official dinner banquet. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The Korean government has promoted the listing of traditional knowledge and skills associated with the production of hanji and related cultural practices.

Hanji, which is made from mulberry trees and requires meticulous crafting skills, has been produced in Korea for a thousand years and passed down through generations.

First lady Kim on Thursday joined Yoon in an official welcoming ceremony and later visited St. George's Basilica, in Prague Castle, alongside with first lady Eva Pavlova, wife of Czech President Petr Pavel, to learn about Czech history and culture. Earlier, she joined Yoon and the Czech presidential couple for brief private talks and, in the evening, she and Yoon took part in a dinner banquet hosted by Pavel.

First lady Kim Keon Hee, right, explains the advantages of hanji, traditional Korean paper, while displaying bags made from the material during a visit to the National Library of the Czech Republic in Prague on Friday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The presidential couple also attended a dinner meeting with Koreans living in the Czech Republic who have contributed to the two countries' bilateral ties.

Yoon said at the dinner that during his visit to the Czech Republic, the two sides had decided to “expand the horizon of cooperation to areas such as nuclear power plants, advanced industries and science and technology,” and that “if cooperation between the two countries expands, the Korean community will also see greater opportunities for growth.”

Children greet President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee at a dinner meeting between the presidential couple and Koreans living in the Czech Republic at a hotel in Prague on Friday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

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