First lady Kim Jung-sook (center) helps to cut the ribbon during a ceremony to mark the establishment of a `traditional culture experience hall` at Bongeunsa Temple in Gangnam-gu district, Seoul, on July 25.

By Yoon Sojung
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

First lady Kim Jung-sook visited Bongeunsa Temple near COEX to mark the opening of a "traditional culture experience hall" on July 25.

First lady Kim met with the Venerable Jaseung, president of the Jogye Order, Bongeunsa Temple head monk Wonmyeong and other senior religious figures to discuss temple tourism, temple cuisine, formal tea ceremonies, meditation and other features of traditional Korean Buddhism. She also visited the main hall to hold hands in a wish to achieve national unity and unification on the Korean Peninsula.

Approximately 100,000 non-Korean tourists visit Bongeunsa Temple every year to experience traditional Korea, said the temple. The newly built traditional culture experience hall will help the temple win favorable responses from overseas visitors with a range of programs, such as religious cuisine programs, tea ceremonies and Seon, or Zen, meditation classes. All of these are designed to help people to rediscover the value of traditions and to better respond to new demands for such experience programs, according to the temple.

First lady Kim Jung-sook attends a tea ceremony with the Venerable Jaseung, president of the Jogye Order, Bongeunsa Temple head monk Wonmyeong, other senior religious figures and the faithful, during her visit to Bongeunsa Temple in Gangnam-gu District on July 25.

First lady Kim Jung-sook is greeted by the faithful while visiting Bongeunsa Temple in Gangnam-gu District, Seoul, on July 25.

First lady Kim Jung-sook poses for a selfie with other visitors to Bongeunsa Temple in southern Seoul on July 25.

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