First lady Kim Hye-kyung visits '2026 Hanbok Store,' pledges support for UNESCO listing

First lady Kim Hye-kyung, wife of President Lee Jae Myung, visited the "2026 Hanbok Store" exhibition at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Friday, encouraging workers in the hanbok industry and listening to their concerns.

Cheong Wa Dae Deputy Spokesperson An Gwi-ryeong said in a written briefing that Kim toured the exhibition spaces and participating booths that morning, hearing from industry figures carrying on traditional craftsmanship while pursuing contemporary approaches, and examining the growth potential and vision of the hanbok industry.

Now in its ninth year, the "Hanbok Store" event brings together more than 150 hanbok businesses and education and partner organizations from across the country to explore the present and future of hanbok. A special exhibition hall was set up for this year's event under the theme "A market that makes hanbok," spotlighting Gwangjang Market's hanbok fabric district, which has served as a hub of retail and production for more than 120 years.

Kim greeted visitors as she walked through the exhibition hall. She asked a child dressed in hanbok, "How do you like wearing hanbok?" and told a visitor wearing a creatively reinterpreted traditional outfit, "So you can wear it this way, too." She also approached foreign visitors, including those from the UAE, asking about their impressions of Korea and saying, "Thank you for taking an interest in hanbok."

At individual booths, Kim examined product lines that blend modern sensibilities with tradition. At "Seodamhwa," which fuses traditional tailoring techniques with contemporary silhouettes, she noted the ease of care and said, "There's a saying that hanbok is difficult to maintain, but if it's this easy to care for, I think many people would love it."

She then visited "Hanbok Shin," a footwear booth, where she tried on a pair of flower-patterned shoes and bought them, saying they were "incredibly cushioned and comfortable." Seeing boots designed with the curved toe line of traditional beoseon socks, she remarked, "These would look lovely not just with hanbok but with everyday clothes too." At the "Rieu & Bieu" booth, she encountered shoes made from hanji and said, "I think this is the first time I've seen shoes made from hanji," expressing interest in the use of the material.

At "Maison de Yoon," a booth specializing in traditional accessories, Kim looked at a butterfly-shaped hair pin and recalled, "At last year's APEC summit in Gyeongju, I wore a similar hair pin to match the emblem." She also visited an exhibition of hanbok work uniforms developed for office and service-sector employees, expressing support for the efforts of those working to bring hanbok into everyday life and the workplace.

Moving on to the Gwangjang Market exhibition hall, Kim reviewed traditional production processes — including fabric work, sewing, embroidery and gold-leaf printing — and discussed ways forward with the merchants. She told a representative of "Halmeoni Gapsa," a business now in its fourth generation of family ownership, "You should be proud," and listened to concerns from a "Naraesol" representative about declining demand for traditional silk. "I will continue to lend my support to the effort to have hanbok inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity," she said.

At the booth of Byeokbong Korean Jewelry Museum, which participated as a partner institution, Kim toured traditional craft pieces with the guidance of Kim Yeong-hui, director of the museum and a state-designated intangible heritage master in jade craftsmanship, and said, "You are doing precious work."

Wrapping up her visit, Kim said, "Hanbok is a precious cultural heritage that has accompanied our lives for a long time, and a cultural asset that represents the Republic of Korea," adding that "the efforts of artisans preserving traditional techniques and designers creating hanbok with a fresh sensibility will continue to strengthen the competitiveness of our hanbok industry."

She went on to say, "As global interest in K-content continues to grow, I hope hanbok will also grow further as a cultural industry representing Korea, and that a culture of people naturally enjoying hanbok in their daily lives will spread even more widely."