First Lady Kim Hye-kyung attended the year-end dinner for national unity with Buddhist leaders on the evening of the 12th. The event was co-hosted by the Korean Buddhist Order Association and the Buddhist Leaders Forum, with over 130 Buddhist leaders and representatives from major orders in attendance.
Before the event, First Lady Kim had a preliminary tea meeting with Buddhist leaders to discuss the role of Buddhism in comforting the public and promoting social integration. Venerable Jinwoo expressed his gratitude to the First Lady for her dedicated role.
During the event, First Lady Kim highlighted Buddhism’s role as a guiding light for the weary hearts of the people and expressed her hope that the gathering would unify the hearts of the nation. She also asked Buddhist leaders to continue to warmly embrace the hearts of the people.
The event also introduced new appointments for the Cheong Wa Dae Buddhist Believers’ Association, with Secretary Kang Hoon-sik as advisor, Chief AI Officer Ha Jung-woo as president, and Secretary Lee Young-soo as secretary-general. Attendees shared a dinner, reflected on the past year, and reaffirmed the significance of national unity.