S. Korean first lady Kim tours Louvre Museum with Brigitte Macron

PARIS/SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook has met with her French counterpart, Brigitte Macron, and toured the famed Louvre Museum in Paris as part of her trip to Europe with her husband, President Moon Jae-in, Seoul's presidential office said Monday.

Kim was greeted by Macron who was waiting at the museum entrance and they saw key exhibits together, including Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" and the portrait of Louis XIV by Hyacinthe Rigaud, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

They spent a moment looking at an antique writing desk from 18th century Bavaria, which had belonged to king Maximilian II.

The museum restored the desk in June using hanji, traditional Korean paper handmade from mulberry trees.

Kim expressed delight that the museum has used the paper for the restoration and admired the museum's effort in procuring hanji to do that, the presidential office quoted her as saying.

Following the tour, the two first ladies held talks over various issues, including childcare, aging society and gender equality, the office added.

Kim wore a Chanel jacket from the 2015/16 collection that is woven with Korean text, called hangul, as a way of showing gratitude to the French first lady for the warm hospitality, Cheong Wa Dae said.

President Moon and his wife Kim will head to Italy on Tuesday and return home on Sunday.

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