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First lady to be absent from Korea-Japan summit due to vertigo

Published: 30 Sep. 2025, 10:13

President Lee Jae Myung, right, and first lady Kim Hea Kyung wave before departing from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Sept. 22 for a five-day trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

First lady Kim Hea Kyung will not attend the Korea-Japan summit in Busan on Tuesday after suffering symptoms of vertigo, the presidential physician said Tuesday morning.

Presidential physician Park Sang-min said during a briefing that Kim experienced sudden dizziness Monday evening, prompting a house call at the presidential residence.

“A neurological examination showed no abnormalities in her cranial nerves, motor function, sensory responses or cerebellum,” Park said.

“Specialized tests to determine the cause of dizziness confirmed benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in her right ear, caused by a displaced inner-ear crystal.”

Park said doctors performed a repositioning procedure to return the crystal to its proper place.

Kim showed partial improvement but continued to experience mild symptoms. She has been prescribed medication and advised to rest.

A follow-up examination on Tuesday morning found that while her condition had improved, some dizziness remained. Park said Kim will need several days of rest to prevent falls.

“Even after recovery, medical guidelines generally recommend two to three days of rest,” Park said. “Since vertigo patients are advised to avoid head movement and maintain a stable posture after treatment, the first lady is unable to carry out today’s schedule.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]