Home > National > Diplomacy

Korean, Philippine first ladies share cuisine and culture at Manila meeting

Published: 04 Mar. 2026, 17:17

Korean first lady Kim Hea Kyung, left, meets with Philippine first lady Liza Araneta Marcos during a state visit to Manila on March 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Korean first lady Kim Hea Kyung, who is on a state visit to the Philippines with her husband President Lee Jae Myung, met with Philippine first lady Liza Araneta Marcos for desserts on Tuesday afternoon.

Ahn Gwi-ryeong, deputy presidential spokesperson for the Blue House, said in a written briefing on Tuesday that Kim met Araneta Marcos in the afternoon at a guesthouse near Malacanang Palace in Manila.

The two first ladies toured rooms at the guesthouse, including one named after former Philippine President Elpidio Quirino (1890-1956), who authorized the deployment of Filipino soldiers to the 1950-53 Korean War, reflecting on the longstanding ties between the two countries, Ahn said.

Araneta Marcos later introduced Kim to the Philippines’ merienda culture, in which people share snacks and conversation twice a day, and served traditional local desserts.

Korean first lady Kim Hea Kyung, left, speaks to Philippine first lady Liza Araneta Marcos during a state visit to Manila on March 3. [NEWS1]

After tasting suman, a traditional Filipino dessert made of sticky rice steamed in coconut milk and wrapped in banana leaves, Kim remarked that it was similar to Korea’s rice cake.

“There is a saying that if you want to understand a country’s culture, you should try its food,” Kim said. “Today, through Filipino food, I felt a warmth and familiarity that reminded me of Korean cuisine.”

Araneta Marcos replied that food has the power to bring people together.

“I like japchae [stir-fried noodles] and kimchi, and Korean food is very popular in the Philippines,” she said, to which Kim responded that she hopes to introduce Korean cuisine to the world more widely.

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 JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]