New Delhi: This may be her first visit to Ayodhya but First Lady of South Korea, Kim Jung-sook, shares a deep connection with the ancient city that goes back to over 2,000 years.
Kim, who arrived in India on Sunday on a four-day visit, on Tuesday morning reached Ayodhya to participate in Diwali festivities and witness the ground-breaking ceremony of a memorial for a Korean queen.
According to Korean legends, princess Suriratna from Ayodhya had travelled to Korea, married king Kim Suro and became queen Heo Hwang-ok some 2,000 years ago. Today, there are over 60 lakh people in South Korea who claim their ancestry to the princess of Ayodhya. Kim Yoon-ok, the wife of former President Lee Myung-bak, and former President Kim Young-sam also trace their ancestry to the royal couple.
The First Lady of South Korea will attend the Deepotsav event in Ayodhya on Tuesday evening and leave for Agra on Wednesday for a visit to the Taj Mahal, before flying back home.